Where will the HIV vaccine be in 40 years?
Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-infected T cells. Credit: NIAID    In the 40 years since the first case, later known as AIDS, was reported, scientists have made great strides in treating HIV, turning what was once a death sentence into a manageable state. ..  What we dont have yet is a vaccine that trains the human immune system to prevent it before it takes root. This is part of what experts consider to be the Holy Grail in the fight to eradicate the virus, which coexists with 38 million people around the world. More people than ever have access to a drug called antiretroviral therapy or ART. ART, when taken as prescribed, reduces the viral load in the body. This keeps them healthy and prevents their partners from transmitting HIV. In addition to ART, people at high risk of infection are now able to receive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that reduces the risk of infection by 99%. Haneke Schuitmaker, Global Head of Virus Vaccine Development at Johnson & Johnsons Janssen Vaccine, told AFP, But access to drugs is organized in all parts of the world. Not.   Even in wealthy countries, access to these medicines has large socio-economic and racial disparities, and vaccines have historically been the most effective tool for eradicating infectious diseases. J & J is currently conducting two human efficacy trials of HIV vaccine candidates, with the first results from one of them potentially as early as late this year, Schuitemaker said. Vaccines against COVID-19 were developed in record time, demonstrating an astonishing level of safety and efficacy, and fortunately helped reduce the number of cases in widely accessible countries. The human immune system does not self-heal HIV, but what is very clear is that the human immune system is quite capable of self-healing COVID-19. AFP. The COVID vaccine works by inducing an antibody that binds to the viral spike protein and blocks the infection. Human cells.. In addition, there are spike-shaped proteins on the surface of HIV, which are the targets of HIV vaccine development. However, while COVID is prevalent in dozens of well-known variants worldwide, HIV has hundreds or thousands of variants in infected people, Scripps said. William Sief, an immunologist who leads the development of the institutes mRNA HIV vaccine, told AFP. Because it is a retrovirus, it quickly integrates into the hosts DNA. Effective vaccines need to stop the infection in the process, rather than reducing the amount of virus and leaving the rest forever. Efforts to develop vaccines have been underway for decades, but so far they have all failed. Last year, a study called Uhambo in South Africa failed to frustrate the only vaccine candidate that had ever been shown to provide some protection against the virus. J & Js vaccine candidates are currently being tested in the Invocod trial in 2,600 women in sub-Saharan Africa, with results expected to be reported in the coming months. The Mosaico trial has also tested approximately 3,800 men who have sex with men and transgender individuals. The J & J vaccine uses the same adenovirus technology as its COVID-19 vaccine. That is, the genetically modified cold virus carries a genetic load that carries instructions for the host to develop a mosaic immunogen. stock. This is followed by a direct injection of synthetic protein later. Another promising approach is to try to generate widely neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that bind to the region of the HIV virus that is common to many variants. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and Scripps Research recently published the results of early-stage trials showing mRNA. Vaccine candidateDeveloped in Moderna, it stimulated the production of rare immune cells that produce bnAbs. According to Schief, their strategy is to gradually educate antibody-producing B cells using a series of shots. They also want to train another type of white blood cell, known as a T cell, to kill infected cells despite antibodies. Efficacy testing is still a long way off, but he looks forward to mRNA technology. vaccine Its a factory and its value has been proven for COVID-19, so it can make a difference.  2021 AFP