CROI 2017: Spanish HIV Vaccine Induces Control Off ART in Nearly 40% of Recipients

A so-called "HIV Conserv" vaccine has, for the first time, produced significant prolonged viral control in a large minority of recipients once they were taken off antiretroviral therapy (ART). So far, 1 participant has stayed off ART for 7 months without having to resume it, according to a report at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections last week in Seattle.

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HIVR4P 2016: Huge Diversity in HIV Vaccine Research Discussed at Prevention Conference

The HIV vaccine research field is currently going through probably its most fertile and diverse period yet. A high proportion of presentations at the second HIV Research for Prevention conference (HIVR4P 2016) in Chicago last week were devoted to a multiplicity of different approaches scientists are taking towards making an effective vaccine.

[Produced in collaboration with aidsmap.com]

At the opening plenary, Georgia Tomaras of Duke University gave an overview of the field. It has been a long journey towards developing vaccines with even partial efficacy: the first trial of any kind was in 1987 and the first large efficacy trial -- which failed -- was in 2003. But the RV144 vaccine -- which in 2009 showed limited efficacy, reducing HIV infections among recipients by 31% (and 60% a year after its first dose) -- injected new energy into the field, not least because its effect seemed due to an unexpected kind of anti-HIV response.

At the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) held in Durban in July researchers reported that a pilot study, HVTN100, of an RV144-type vaccine adapted to the strain predominant in South Africa it produced a stronger response than the original RV144 vaccine. This meant it had passed the criteria for being advanced to a large efficacy trial, HVTN 702. This will start next month -- the first HIV vaccine efficacy trial for 7 years, since HVTN 505 started in July 2009.

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Combination HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trial Launches in South Africa

A new HIV vaccine efficacy study -- the first in 7 years -- got underway this week in Cape Town, South Africa. The HVTN 702 trial will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 2 experimental vaccines -- ALVAC-HIV and a gp120 protein subunit vaccine -- related to a combination that previously demonstrated modest efficacy in the RV144 trial in Thailand. The study aims to enroll more than 5400 sexually active adults and results are expected in late 2020.

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Coverage of HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P 2016)

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the 2016 HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P 2016), October 17-21, in Chicago.

Conference highlights include current and experimental pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), microbicide rings and other options, and investigational HIV vaccines.

Full listing of coverage by topic

HIVR4P 2016 website

10/22/16