‘A potential first step forward’: Moderna to launch human trials for new HIV vaccines
The new jabs use the same mRNA technology behind the manufacturer’s successful Covid vaccine, but scientists warn there is a long way to go in providing lasting protection against HIV
Human trials for two new HIV vaccines developed by US biotech company Moderna are set to be launched on Thursday – a moment that has been described as a “potential first step forward” in protecting people against the deadly virus.
The manufacturer was among the first to develop a Covid-19 jab last year, and it’s hoped its ground-breaking messenger RNA (mRNA) technology will once again be put to use in overcoming one of science’s most complex challenges.
Moderna is to recruit 56 healthy people aged between 18 and 50 into its phase 1 trial, which will assess the safety of the vaccines and their ability to generate a broad range of neutralising antibodies against HIV. The study is expected to run until May 2023.
It’s believed that multiple vaccines will ultimately be needed to generate the sufficient immune response required to provide protection against the virus, which is far more accomplished than Covid in evading the body’s defenses.
The spike-like protein that allows HIV to gain entry to human cells is coated in a sugar residue and hidden away from sight of the body’s antibodies, making it difficult to neutralize the virus.
HIV can also linger in the body for years before developing into Aids. During this time, the virus will frequently mutate parts of its spike protein, to the point that that they become almost unrecognizable to antibodies.
The two Moderna vaccines, named mRNA-1644 and mRNA-1574, are aiming to tackle these challenges by inducing broadly neutralising antibodies (bnABs) to levels not previously reported with other jabs.
These antibodies can target multiple variants of HIV and are capable of neutralising stable parts of the virus that don’t change as much as it mutates.
Researchers will also be assessing the cellular immune response of the volunteers, particularly their B cells, which are responsible for producing and maintaining antibodies.
The messenger RNA technology behind Moderna’s Covid vaccine was used to generate exceptionally high levels of antibodies against Sars-CoV-2 – but given the complexities of HIV, scientists do not believe it will be as straightforward in vaccinating against the virus.
(Adapted from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/hiv-vaccine-moderna-covid-b1904563.html)
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