A pioneering clinical trial on a therapeutic HIV vaccine has earned the AELIX-002 study group the prestigious European Hector Research Award in HIV. Among the esteemed researchers is Professor Tomáš Hanke, Professor of Vaccine Immunology at the Jenner Institute, part of the Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM).
Celebrating Excellence in HIV Research
Established in 2019 by the H.W. & J. Hector Foundation in Germany, the European Hector Research Award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements in HIV research annually. This year's winners were announced during the European AIDS Conference held in Poland in October.
Groundbreaking Therapeutic Vaccine Research
The AELIX-002 study group, led by Dr. Jose Moltó from Hospital Germans Trias in Barcelona, secured the top prize in basic science for their work on the clinical trial AELIX-002. The trial investigated a therapeutic vaccine against HIV developed by AELIX Therapeutics and conceived at IrsiCaixa. The results, published in Nature Medicine in October 2022, involved a multinational team including the HIV Research and Pharmacology group at the Fight Infections Foundation and infectious disease physicians from Hospital Germans Trias.
Innovative Vaccine Design and Collaboration
Aiming to mimic the immune responses of individuals who naturally control HIV without antiretroviral therapy, the research team co-designed and constructed vaccines by integrating IrsiCaixa’s HIV T-cell Immunogen (HTI) into Oxford’s proven ChAdOx1 and MVA vectors.
Professor Hanke highlighted the fruitful collaboration:
"We have a long-standing collaboration with the Barcelona team. I admire their killer T-cell immunogen and was eager to incorporate it into our ChAdOx1 and MVA vectors for efficient delivery to the immune system. The world needs an HIV vaccine."
The AELIX-002 Clinical Trial
The trial evaluated the HTI vaccines in 45 individuals living with HIV who had achieved durable viral suppression through antiretroviral medication. The primary goal was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a vaccine regimen combining DNA.HTI, MVA.HTI, and ChAdOx1.HTI.
Promising Outcomes and Future Directions
Results demonstrated that the vaccines were well-tolerated and successfully refocused killer T cells on more protective targets. In a subgroup of participants, those who mounted a stronger immune response were able to remain off antiretroviral therapy for longer periods and maintained lower viral loads compared to those who did not receive the vaccine or did not respond to it.
These findings indicate that the HTI vaccines can retrain the immune system toward more effective responses against HIV. This breakthrough paves the way for further development of vaccine strategies aimed at achieving drug-free post-treatment control of the virus.
The recognition of the AELIX-002 study group's work underscores the critical importance of innovative research in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Their collaborative efforts bring hope for new therapeutic avenues that could significantly impact the lives of millions affected by the virus worldwide.