IAVI celebrates new results supporting its HIV vaccine development strategy this HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 

Despite decades of progress in the fight against HIV, approximately 1.3 million people newly acquired HIV in 2023. With disruption to HIV care and treatment programs caused by the dramatic reduction in U.S. government funding for HIV, it is likely new infection rates will tragically rise around the globe. In this context, the development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine is more important than ever. A HIV vaccine remains a critical prevention tool that holds tremendous power to bring an end to the HIV pandemic. 

May 18 commemorates HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD), when we reflect on the long search for a vaccine and the many thousands of research participants whose selfless participation has enabled the research strides made to date. This HVAD, IAVI is especially pleased to share positive progress in the search for a vaccine. 

 A new publication in Science with the findings of the IAVI G002 and IAVI G003 clinical trials has demonstrated proof-of-concept for the sequential immunization strategy, called germline targeting, that underpins IAVI’s approach to HIV vaccine development. Scientists widely believe that broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are the key to preventing HIV acquisition. IAVI’s germline targeting approach is based on the idea that carefully sequenced immunizations can coach the immune system’s naïve B cells to become broadly neutralizing antibodies. This study was designed to assess B cell maturation on the path to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Results showed that all participants in IAVI G002 developed the desired immune responses; in the IAVI G003 study, which took place in South Africa and Rwanda, the study found 94 percent of participants generated the immune response. You can read more about these exciting findings in IAVI’s press release.  

Also published in Science Thursday were the findings of IAVI C101, a trial for which IAVI was the sponsor and provided clinical development support. The study team, led by Amsterdam UMC’s Tom Caniels and Rogier Sanders also examined whether a sequential immunization strategy could elicit immune system changes on the pathway to the production of broadly neutralizing antibodies. IAVI C101 examined whether a different immunogen, a modified trimer, could also prime the immune system target toward the maturation of B cells.  

In both studies, the immunogens have demonstrated the ability to prime the target precursor B cells. These exciting results strongly support further HIV vaccine development efforts using the germline targeting approach. 

Also in honor of HVAD, IAVI is raising awareness of the continued need for an HIV vaccine. In a new opinion piece published earlier this week in Kenya’s The Star, IAVI’s Vincent Muturi-Kioi, HIV vaccines product development team lead, makes the case for continued investment in an HIV vaccine.  

To learn even more about our HIV vaccine development efforts, please join IAVI and the International AIDS Society’s Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise for a webinar on May 28 at 9am ET. Co-chaired by Marlène Bras of IAS and the University of Zimbabwe’s Nyaradzo Mgodi, the session will feature remarks from Kundai Chinyenze, IAVI’s Africa director, Glenda Gray, president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, and Mitchell Warren, AVAC’s executive director, among other distinguished panelists.