First Human Trials for HIV Vaccine Begin

An HIV vaccine has been years in the works, in animal models and in the lab.

Testing in humans is now underway, with enrollment for the much-awaited immunogen beginning this month, according to a team led by the scientist who first identified the virus as the cause of AIDS more than 30 years ago.

The goal is to prevent the infection totally.

“Our HIV/AIDS vaccines candidate is designed to bind to the virus at the moment of infection, when many of the different strains of HIV found around the world can be neutralized,” said Robert Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology in Maryland, in an announcement last week. “We believe this mechanism is a major prerequisite for an effective HIV preventive vaccine.”