HIV epidemic in Asia: optimizing and expanding vaccine development

Abstract

The recent evidence in Thailand for protection from acquisition of HIV through vaccination in a mostly heterosexual population has generated considerable hope. Building upon these results and the analysis of the correlates of risk remains among the highest priorities. Improved vaccine concepts including heterologous prime–boost regimens, improved proteins with potent adjuvants and new vectors expressing mosaic antigens may soon enter clinical development to assess vaccine efficacy in men who have sex with men. Identifying heterosexual populations with sufficient HIV incidence for the conduct of efficacy trials represents perhaps the main challenge in Asia. Fostering translational research efforts in Asian countries may benefit from the development of master strategic plans and program management processes.

Keywords::

• Asia
• efficacy trial
• HIV
• prime–boost
• vaccine

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense or the US Government or the Thai Government.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Jerome Kim, Merlin Robb, Nelson Michael (US Military HIV Research Program, MD, USA) for constant support, guidance and helpful comments and suggestions; Patricia Fast, Rajat Goyal (International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, IAVI New York, NY, USA and New Delhi, India) and Linqi Zhang (Comprehensive AIDS Research Center, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China) for information on the HIV vaccine programs in India and China; Eleanor Gouws, Peter Ghys and Joris Hemelaar (UNAIDS, Geneva, Switzerland), for the maps of the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms in Asia.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have received funding from the US Army Medical Research and Material Command (USAMRMC), and its Cooperative Agreement (DAMD17-98-2-7007) with the Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.