HIV VACCINE TRIALS NETWORK

HIV Vaccine Breakthrough: New Candidate Successfully Generates Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies

- NIAID-supported clinical trial demonstrates that an HIV vaccine candidate can elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) targeting the membrane proximal external region (MPER) of HIV, a crucial step toward developing an effective preventive vaccine. - The vaccine generated immune responses in 13 out of 20 recipients, with two participants showing antibodies capable of neutralizing multiple HIV strains after receiving three doses, occurring within weeks rather than years. - Complementary animal studies using nanoparticle-based immunogens successfully stimulated precursor B cells that could develop into cells producing 10E8-class bNAbs, which target a highly conserved region of HIV's surface protein gp41.