Human HIV Vaccine Trials Will Begin In 2019

HIV has always been a relentless disease. However, the research that has been carried out so far in search of a cure seems to have found an HIV vaccine that will begin to be tested as of next year, in 2019, in humans.

Indeed, researchers always continue to explore options for real cures  for various diseases. Let us remember, for example, the Cervarix and Gardasil vaccines against the human papillomavirus, which prevent the spread of the strains for which we are vaccinated.

The encouraging results of the HIV vaccine

It was researchers from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who ventured to test an experimental vaccine in the laboratory. The HIV vaccine they had designed, after numerous studies, achieved very positive results in mice, guinea pigs and monkeys.

The steps that were carried out for the development of the HIV vaccine were the following:

• Identification of antibodies.  The researchers set about studying and trying to discover the antibodies that had the ability to neutralize the strains of HIV.
• Obtaining the antibodies.  Subsequently, the antibodies having an immunization based on the protein structure of the disease were obtained.

HIV protein

The researchers realized that they needed the vaccine to target a protein on the surface of HIV. This is known as the HIV-1 fusion peptide.

It is important to mention that this peptide was discovered for the first time in 2016. It was achieved thanks to the analysis of the antibodies of a patient who had been living with the disease for years. This patient naturally produced the antibodies, paralyzing HIV.

The immune system and HIV

After the process of creating the vaccine against HIV, it was first tested in mice, then in guinea pigs and finally in Rhesus monkeys . The results were surprising and left the researchers excited about the great discovery they had made.

The immune system of vaccinated animals began to produce antibodies that bind to the fusion protein, neutralizing the virus. Also, that it was successful in guinea pigs and monkeys is a strong indicator that the vaccine can work in humans.

However, researchers have to respect a time frame to continue testing. They will need to verify that this vaccine is safe and will allow humans to obtain positive results.

Thus, until mid-2019 we will have to wait for the vaccine to begin to be tested in people. However, for the moment, everything indicates that it could be successful.

HIV today

Although today there are means to prevent the spread of HIV, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) it continues to be a serious problem in some parts of the world where the necessary resources for its prevention do not exist.

So far , the transmission of HIV from mother to child has been prevented and eliminated. Likewise, the quality of life of HIV-positive people has also improved thanks to antiretroviral treatments.

In any case, the possibility of a vaccine against HIV makes us think that perhaps we could be, at last, witnesses of its end.