Following a four-year clinical trial involving 5,407 HIV-negative volunteers at 14 sites across South Africa, a key HIV vaccine trial has been terminated after it was determined that the vaccine was incapable of preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, which is the virus responsible for causing AIDS.
The trial, which was sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was halted after an independent data and safety monitoring board found the vaccine to be ineffective in preventing HIV.
The NIAID reported that among the vaccine recipients, 129 HIV infections occurred while 123 HIV infections occurred among the placebo recipients. The volunteers were sexually active men and women ages 18 to 35 who were randomly assigned to receive either the vaccine injections or placebo injections.
Following the injections, there was no significant difference in subsequent HIV infections between the volunteers in the vaccine group and the placebo group.
“An HIV vaccine is essential to end the global pandemic, and we hoped this vaccine candidate would work. Regrettably, it does not,” stated Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID, expressing disappointment. “Research continues on other approaches to a safe and effective HIV vaccine, which I still believe can be achieved,” he added.
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, an alliance of funders and stakeholders involved in the search for an HIV vaccine, also expressed “deep disappointment” at the study being halted.
“Whilst this is a significant setback for the field, we need to continue the quest for a preventive vaccine. The rates of HIV infection, which continue unabated in this region, should spur greater urgency, global attention and investment to the quest,” emphasized Linda-Gail Bekker, immediate past president of the International AIDS Society and chair of the Enterprise Advisory Group.
HIV, also known as Human immunodeficiency virus, is a disease that causes AIDS and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections.
The virus can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.