Moderna Begins Early-Stage Trials , of mRNA-Based HIV Vaccine.
On Jan. 27, Moderna revealed it administered the first doses to participants in its trial.
The HIV mRNA vaccine was co-developed with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
It utilizes messenger RNA the same way Moderna's COVID vaccine does, "tricking" the body into producing proteins that prompt an immune response.
Specifically, Moderna hopes to induce B-cells, which can turn into antibodies.
Specifically, Moderna hopes to induce B-cells, which can turn into antibodies.
The company says such proteins are
“widely considered to be the goal of HIV vaccination,
and this is the first step in that process.”.
An initial shot and a booster dose
will be tested in the trial.
56 HIV-negative adult participants will be involved,
and they will be monitored for six months.
According to HIV.gov, about 1.2 million Americans currently have the virus