Using muscles for antibodies the way to vaccinate against HIV?

Using muscles for antibodies the way to vaccinate against HIV?

According to New Scientist magazine, there may in fact be a new method of vaccinating against HIV. Based on results from tests done in Pennsylvania, this may be to inject immunoadhesins into the muscle and create an “antibody factory which could last indefinitely in the body,” according to Phillip Johnson.

Mutiple experiments were undertaken with monkeys, and their version of HIV, SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus). The control group, which was left unvaccinated had four deaths in six cases, however the vaccinated group had no deaths, which was a big step towards the potential implementation of this vaccination.

This research was a very different approach to those taken by other researchers, in that they simply bypassed the immune system. This, in effect, builds up a stockpile of antibodies in the immune system in preparation for an invasion of HIV. However, because HIV attacks the immune system itself, the vaccines that have been developed so far have been unsuccessful, and this is why this new research has the potential to succeed. This new research aims to create antibody-like materials in the muscles which are preselected to attack the HIV virus. As can be seen, this is different from an auto-immune response.

The antibodies which are being used are derived from HIV-resistant people, as they have a natural immunity which they hope to transfer into vaccines and then inject this into muscle.

It is hoped that the vaccine will be in clinics within the next two to three years, and hopefully this can be the start of a path to a successful HIV vaccine.