Successful tests of the first HIV vaccine

In macaques that received an initial vaccination followed by multiple booster doses, The risk of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was 79 percent. minimum Compared to unvaccinated animals. The research was published in the journal Nature.

Despite nearly four decades of efforts, an effective HIV vaccine remains a distant goal. This experimental mRNA vaccine combines several features that could overcome the shortcomings of other experimental HIV vaccines, and therefore represents a promising approach, said NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The vaccine stimulates nose protein HIV-1 membrane-fixed envelope i gag protein SIV virus to produce Virus-like particles (VLP). These particles look like a virus in the immune system, but they have no infectious potential – Instead, it stimulates the body to stimulate an immune response.

Studies in mice showed that two injections of an mRNA vaccine consisting of VLP stimulated the body to form neutralizing antibodies in all animals.

The mRNA vaccine was initially named Env-Gag VLP Tested on Mackash. An initial dose and several stimulant injections were given over the following year. Different types of virus were used to activate antibodies against the more conserved “common” Env regions, rather than the more diverse regions that differed by virus strain.

Although the doses given to the animals were high, the mRNA . vaccine It was well tolerated and only caused mild and transient side effects (eg loss of appetite).

We are currently improving our vaccine protocol to improve the quality and quantity of VLPs produced. This may increase the efficacy of the vaccine and thus reduce the number of prior vaccinations and booster vaccinations needed to generate a strong immune response. If safety and efficacy are confirmed, we plan to conduct a phase 1 trial of this vaccine platform in healthy adult volunteers, said Paulo Luso, chief of NIAID’s Division of Virus Etiology.