Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-24-037
Deadline: March 13, 2024
Background
Despite notable progress made in treating and preventing HIV infection with antiretroviral drugs, new infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continue at an unacceptable rate. The development of a safe and effective HIV preventive vaccine remains a critical public health need, especially to prevent new infections in neonates, infants, pre-adolescents, and young adults. Preventive vaccine development may require pursuing multiple approaches. Results including isolation of multiple potent broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) from individuals living with HIV, the generation of native-like HIV envelope proteins, structural analysis of immunogens and antibodies at the atomic level, advanced understanding of human immunobiology, exploration of alternate animal models, incorporation of multidisciplinary technologies, and development of novel assays have opened new prospects for improved vaccine design and evaluation. Furthermore, the AMP and IAVI-G001 clinical trials provided clinical proof of concept for the effectiveness of the bNAb VRC01 at preventing the acquisition of antibody-sensitive HIV strains, and induction of bNAb precursors by vaccination, respectively. These encouraging results support the ongoing development efforts to develop prime-boost regimens to induce multi epitope-targeting bNAbs as a key component for a prophylactic HIV vaccine. However, the high titer of bNAbs required for protection suggests that synergistic immune responses, possibly including cell mediated and/or innate immunity could contribute to the effectiveness of a neutralizing antibody-based HIV vaccine.
For more information, please see the opportunity website.