These encouraging results are sparking HIV

These encouraging results are sparking HIV

vaccine scientists to explore how this prime-boost strategy using vaccines that were adapted to circulating Thai subtypes (B and E) provided modest levels of protection. This paper was published on line October 20 th simultaneously with the plenary presentation of the results at the AIDS Vaccine 2009 conference in Paris. Webcasting of the conference sessions and media conferences, including the RV144 media conference, is available to viewers until January 21, 2010 at 12:00 PM Central European Time at: http://www.hivvaccineenterprise.org/conference/2009/webcasting.html The mITT or modified intent-to-treat analysis is the gold standard analysis that was followed by the trial’s Data Safety Monitoring Board throughout this test-of-concept trial. It includes all trial participants randomised in the trial with the exception of 7 who were already HIV infected at their first post-screening study visit before the first shot. How exactly did this strategy work (what are the immune correlates of protection?), how high did vaccine efficacy go in the first year and how much did it decrease after the first year post-vaccination (would booster doses be needed?), does the vaccine work better in those at lower risk of infection (why and what would that mean for future vaccine trial design?), was it a single vaccine or the prime-boost combination that produced protective immune responses, was matching the vaccines to Thai virus subtypes important to vaccine efficacy in this study population, and are there different immune system responses to prevent HIV infection compared to those that attempt to control it after infection is established? These and many other intriguing questions are opening up avenues for exploration and invigorating us all. An HIV vaccine is many years away but now we know that it will come.