Encouraging first-in-human results for a promising HIV vaccine

In recent years, we’ve witnessed some truly inspiring progress in vaccine development. That includes the mRNA vaccines that were so critical during the COVID-19 pandemic, the first approved vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and a “universal flu vaccine” candidate that could one day help to thwart future outbreaks of more novel influenza viruses. Inspiring progress also continues to be made toward a safe and effective vaccine for HIV, which still infects about 1.5 million people around the world each year. A prime example is the recent first-in-human trial of an HIV vaccine made in the lab from a unique protein nanoparticle, a molecular construct measuring just a few billionths of a meter. The results of this early phase clinical study, published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine and earlier in Science, showed that the experimental HIV nanoparticle vaccine is safe in people. While this vaccine alone will not offer HIV...