Can we vaccinate for HIV as we do for measles?
As human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to affect the world population, there is a pressing need to understand more about the role that neutralising antibodies can play in protecting against it or its development into acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). As such, researchers are eager to test the efficacy of candidate HIV vaccines for stimulating antibodies with a neutralising function. To start on the path toward conducting vaccine trials of new HIV immunogens, neutralisation assays must be standardised and applied. An immunogen is a substance capable of bringing on an adaptive immune response. The 'Standardisation of HIV neutralisation assays to be used in vaccine research and clinical trials' (Neutnet) project aimed at coordinating activities focused on standardising how neutralising antibodies to HIV-1 will be measured for candidate vaccines. HIV-1 is the most common form of the virus. The main goal was to organise studies in a series of steps. Project partners first conducted a study using all known methods of neutralisation and a panel of common and well-characterised reagents. The aim was to define suitable assays and write up relevant reference controls. The results of this study will be used to perform a second study that will determine the prerequisites for achieving precise and reproducible measurements of HIV-1 neutralising antibodies. Neutnet was able to provide seven types of neutralisation assays. Together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a workshop has been organised to discuss the significance of Neutnet's findings. Participants will also include workers in the field, and information and outcomes will be shared on an international scale.