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New vaccine can help protect against HIV
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists have developed an injection that will help protect against infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for three months. During tests of the new experimental drug, specialists found that when administered to monkeys, it protected against secondary infection with a modified virus. However, at this stage, the drug's effectiveness has not yet been confirmed in humans.
For their research, the scientists took eight macaques and gave each one two injections of 744LA (the new drug). After that, the scientists tried to infect the macaques for a week, but all their attempts failed. The principle of the injections is similar to modern HIV drugs, which are taken twice a day. However, for many people from the high-risk group (not infected with HIV, but with a high probability of developing the infection), it is quite difficult to comply with the regimen, and the new drug helps to eliminate such problems, since it has a long-term effect. In the near future, the scientists plan to prepare for human trials. The second phase of the 744LA study is planned for the United States soon. The scientists intend to obtain more information, including safety issues, within the next year. Discussions are currently underway on how exactly to continue clinical trials. It is planned to test the protective effectiveness of the drug in the world, especially in countries with high rates of HIV infection, in particular in China among homosexual men.
According to experts, a single injection of 744LA will help protect a person from AIDS infection, while the vaccine acts in the human body for 3-4 months, after which a repeated administration of the drug will be required. Experts believe that the administration of the drug once a quarter will help prevent infection with the virus.
A virologist at the University of California, who was not involved in the research project, believes the discovery could change the way HIV is prevented. However, some experts question the study, such as children's hospital doctor Philip Johnson, who believes that a person needs to take several injections over a lifetime and questions the drug's long-term viability.
Scientists also note that vaccines that will help protect against HIV will appear only in the distant future, but already now a new approach to HIV prevention can be used as an intermediate protection.
In addition, recent studies by South African scientists have shown how antibodies that destroy various strains of HIV evolve. This work may help in developing a vaccine. During their study, the specialists studied the body's reaction to HIV using a blood sample and, as a result, isolated antibodies produced by the body. As it turned out, the human body reacts to HIV by producing antibodies, but not all of them manage to penetrate the protective barrier of the virus strains and completely destroy them. Scientists managed to clone such antibodies and in the future they plan to conduct clinical trials on monkeys.