HVTN fully enrolls 4 HIV Vaccine Trials; 12,669 Volunteers

A celebration of the global journey to find a safe and effective HIV vaccine.

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), headquartered at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announces they have completed enrollment of their four on-going HIV vaccine efficacy trials—culminating in a mind-blowing 12,669 study trial participants in 4 continents in 12 countries. This work is part of the global journey to find a safe and effective HIV vaccine. 

“Every day, we recognize and appreciate the unwavering commitment of our study participants, communities, scientific teams, funders, and governments who make the research to help end HIV possible. These clinical trials underscore the importance of our global public-private partnerships.”

Steven Wakefield, Director of External Relations at the HVTN

Imstilljosh.com supports the on-going work of HVTN—in part because I was a volunteer in a previous HIV vaccine study, HVTN505. It’s because of that study that after I was unknowingly exposed to HIV during a sexual encounter in late 2011 that I was diagnosed very quickly by early 2012—better positioning me to get the virus under control quickly and hopefully providing the best long term health benefit possible.

The 4 large-scale efficacy trials currently from HVTN and their partners: 

• HVTN 703 & 704, also known as the Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) studies– Fully enrolled, with 4,625 participants from communities in the United States, Brazil, Peru, Switzerland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique. The AMP studies are the most advanced clinical trials to test whether a broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb), called VRC01, can prevent HIV acquisition in people.

• HVTN 702, also known as Uhambo – Fully enrolled, with 5,407 healthy, HIV-negative men and women between 18 and 35 years old. HVTN 702, underway in South Africa, is testing an experimental vaccine regimen against HIV.

• HVTN 705, also known as Imbokodo– Fully enrolled, with 2,637 healthy, HIV-negative women in South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Imbokodo is testing an experimental vaccine regimen designed to offer protection against a variety of global HIV strains.

“Our scientific journey is remarkable. We are in a fortunate position to serve global communities through science and work with them to help end HIV.”

Larry Corey, M.D., Principal Investigator of the HVTN, virologist and faculty member at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle

Supporting the work of HVTN and the quest for a safe and effective vaccine is the best path forward to an eventual cure of HIV, in my opinion. I do not believe we can end the epidemic, until we can prevent it and then cure it.