Progress in the basic sciences and clinical research

Future Directions
Progress in the basic sciences and clinical research is moving scientists closer to identifying vaccine candidates suitable for large-scale HIV vaccine trials. Researchers continue to design and test novel ways to present HIV proteins to the immune system, as well as develop new antigen-adjuvant vaccine formulations.

Although the challenges are daunting, scientists remain hopeful that they can develop safe and effective HIV vaccines. A growing number and variety of experimental vaccines are entering clinical tests in primates and humans, and more trials are exploring whether changing immunization schedules, increasing booster doses, or using a combination vaccine strategy can stimulate stronger, more durable immune responses.

Currently, about 30 NIAID-sponsored preventive HIV vaccine clinical trials are underway or planned for various stages of testing in the United States and internationally. More vaccines will be studied in the next 2 years than in the last 5 years combined, and thousands of additional healthy volunteers from all populations will be needed in the coming years.