Encouraging Phase I
Scientists managed to activate immunity against HIV: phase I of clinical trials was recognized as successful
The first phase of clinical trials of a vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gave promising results: the drug stimulated the production of rare immune cells in volunteers, which trigger the production of broad–acting antibodies - they allegedly successfully suppress the virus. This is reported by the press release The Scripps Institution.
Almost 40 million people in the world suffer from the disease (officially only). The virus causing it is one of the most difficult to neutralize: there is still no vaccine to fight the pathogen, which has millions of variants due to constant mutations. Creating a vaccine against HIV is an even more difficult task than against "runny nose" viruses.
Neutralizing broad-profile antibodies (bNAb) attach to the spikes of HIV particles (these spikes are made up of proteins covered with "armor" from the immune system) and disable them. Such antibodies target hard–to-reach areas on the surface of the particles - those that do not mutate so much and quickly, and therefore, plus or minus, they are the same for all HIV variants.
reference. There are two main types of lymphocytes: T- and B-cells; the first mature in the thymus, the second – in the bone marrow. They wander in the blood/lymph in a "germ" form until they meet and recognize the antigen-presenting cell and are activated. Active B lymphocytes either become memory B cells that "remember" the signs of the pathogen for the future, or cells that secrete antibodies.
To cause the appearance of bNAb in the body, it is necessary to stimulate certain B-lymphocytes: they then develop into cells that produce these antibodies. The frequency of such specific B cells in humans (the vaccine was aimed at them) is about one per 1 million "germ" B cells.
An immune response with bNAb was found in 97% of Phase I participants who were vaccinated in the USA. A total of 48 healthy adult volunteers were involved: they received either a placebo or two doses of eOD-GT8 60mer together with an adjuvant (immune response enhancer) from GSK.
The authors are encouraged: they believe that bNAb antibodies can be used against other "complex" pathogens such as influenza, Zika virus, dengue fever, hepatitis C and so on. "This is a huge achievement for science. A new stage of vaccinology is opening," they believe.
Now the vaccine developer, IAVI, will join forces with the biotechnology company Moderna to develop a vaccine based on mRNA, which can significantly accelerate the pace of the emergence of such a drug.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Government of the Netherlands, the USA and several research institutes around the world are also involved in this project.
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