The team of scientists has managed to overcome previously existing barriers. In the past, stimulating an immune response required seven to ten injections. However, the new immunogen, named WIN332, allows the body to start fighting the virus immediately after the first vaccination. This became possible due to changes in the vaccine's design.
By focusing on studying the virus's envelope and the antibodies produced in people who successfully resist the infection, researchers found that not all parts of the viral envelope are equally critical for creating protection. Based on a fragment of the viral envelope from which a specific part was removed, a more effective tool for training the immune system was developed.
During experiments, the vaccine was administered to healthy rhesus macaques. The results showed that just three weeks after the first injection, antibodies capable of neutralizing various strains of HIV began to appear in the animals' blood. "We achieved a small but noticeable neutralization response already after the first immunization, which has never been observed before," emphasized one of the study's authors, Amelia Escalano.
After the vaccine was re-administered, the number of protective antibodies significantly increased. Biologists hope that their discovery will lead to the creation of a convenient and effective vaccine for humans in the near future, marking a significant step forward in the fight against this dangerous disease and simplifying the vaccination process for patients and doctors.
