Vaccines Global Summit

Developing a vaccine against HIV has been one of the most challenging and imperative goals in vaccine research. HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is a complex virus that attacks the immune system to cause AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Despite decades of research, an HIV vaccine has not yet been developed; the virus has a characteristic of fast mutation and evasiveness from the immune response. However, new hope is coming with recent changes.

HIV vaccines aim to induce a host immune response against the virus. There are several approaches, which include vector vaccines: in these, viruses that do not normally cause disease in humans carry HIV antigens. In protein-based vaccines, key HIV proteins are presented to the immune system, and in mRNA vaccines similar to those developed against COVID-19, researchers are exploring whether the technology might apply to HIV. Each of the strategies is trying to knock at a different part of the life cycle of the virus, with prevention of infection or control of the virus in case of exposure as the desired outcome.

One of the key problems HIV vaccine development faces is the high mutation rate of the virus. HIV perpetually alters its structure, and that means often the immune system cannot keep up with these changes. So, researchers are starting to focus their research around bNAbs—to parts of the virus that are not affected by mutations. By inducing these antibodies within the body, a vaccine would then provide long-term immunity against strains of HIV. A few promising results in a number of clinical trials are already obvious, especially with the use of novel adjuvants and delivery systems in some vaccine candidates to amplify the immune response.

While no vaccine is yet proven 100% effective, each study finds valuable insights that bring scientists closer to a breakthrough. Global initiatives that put together the researchers, governments, and communities to fight HIV/AIDS also impact the formulation of the HIV vaccine. If an effective HIV vaccine were available, it would be a game changer and one of the most needed tools in the better control and eventual elimination of the virus. Continued research and innovation have made it possible for an HIV vaccine to become a reality and remain a particularly essential goal in global health today.