Experimental HIV vaccine shows promising results in animals

experimental vaccine against VIH It appears promising in mice and non-human primates, with data indicating that it is safe and elicits the required antibody and cellular immune responses against an HIV-like virus.

Look: “We have invested billions of dollars in researching HIV vaccines, but none have succeeded.”

The study was published today nature medicine It was developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health.

Experimental vaccine based on messenger RNA (mRNA .)), the same technology used in some vaccines against COVID-19, macaques vaccinated with the preparation and multiple booster doses had a 79% lower risk of infection with HIV.

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Non-human primates are not susceptible to HIV-1 (the most common type in the world) and scientists use placebo VISH in experimental settings because it reproduces in macaques.

Despite nearly four decades of efforts by the global research community, an effective vaccine to prevent HIV still exists. difficult goal to achieve“NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, a co-author of the paper.

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This preparation combines “Several properties that can overcome the shortcomings of other experimental HIV vaccines, and therefore, It represents a promising approach“, Fauci said in a statement.

HIV is able to change its genetic material because of its rapidity in producing new viruses, which makes it difficult to find a vaccine for all its strains. (Image: Getty) — HIV can change its genetic material because of its rapidity in producing new viruses, which makes it difficult to find a vaccine for all its strains. (Image: Getty)

The experimental vaccine works like the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, but instead of carrying the instructions for the coronavirus’s spike(S) protein, it has coded instructions for making two The major HIV proteins Env and Gag.

Muscle cells from a vaccinated animal combine these two proteins to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) with numerous copies of Env on their surface.

Although they cannot cause infection or disease because they lack the full genetic code, These VLPs are equivalent to contagious HIV In terms of stimulating adequate immune responses.

In rat studies, they induced neutralizing antibodies in all animals, which were similar to the Env proteins produced So much for the whole virusIt is an improvement over previous experimental HIV vaccines.

The team also tested the preparation in macaques, and followed a year-long first inoculation with multiple booster doses containing Gag and Env messenger RNA from two different strains of HIV than the main type.

Although the mRNA doses were high,”The vaccine was well tolerated and produced only mild and temporary adverse effects in macaques, such as Anorexia“Add note.

By week 58, the vaccinated macaques had developed measurable levels of neutralizing antibodies directed against most strains from a pool of 12 in addition. It causes a strong T-cell response assistants.

Finding a vaccine, treatment or cure for HIV is one of the challenges science has faced since it was first diagnosed in 1984 (Image: GETTY/REF)

Starting at week 60, vaccinated animals and a control group of unvaccinated macaques were challenged weekly to VISH.

After thirteen weekly vaccinations, two of the seven vaccinated macaques were still uninfected and the other vaccinated animals were introduced “General delay in infection, occurring on average after eight weeks”.

The non-immunized, however, were infected, on average, after three weeks.

The team is now refining the vaccination protocol to improve the quality and quantity of VLPs produced, which can increase the efficacy of the vaccine and thus reduce the number of primary and booster vaccinations required to generate a strong immune response, report researcher Paolo Luso noted.

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