A new HIV vaccine has shown promising results in early human trials, producing an anti-HIV immune response in 393 participants. The study, published in the Lancet, also found that the vaccine protected 67% of monkeys from a similar virus.
The 'mosaic' vaccine is designed to target multiple strains of HIV, which has proven difficult due to the virus's ability to mutate. Previous vaccines have been limited to specific strains, but this approach aims for broader protection.
In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults aged 18 to 50 from the US, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, and Thailand received four vaccinations over 48 weeks. All combinations were safe and triggered immune responses.
Lead author Professor Dan Barouch of Harvard Medical School called the results 'an important milestone' but cautioned that immune responses do not guarantee protection against infection. Further testing is needed.
The next phase will involve 2,600 women in southern Africa at risk of HIV. Only one previous vaccine has shown any efficacy, reducing infection by 31% in a Thai trial, but it was not advanced to common use.
Dr Michael Brady of the Terrence Higgins Trust described the signs as 'promising' but stressed that much work remains. He highlighted existing effective prevention tools such as PrEP and treatments that prevent transmission.
