Moderna launches clinical trials in Africa for its mRNA-based HIV vaccine

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and biotech company Moderna have announced the launch of trials for a HIV vaccine, mRNA-1644, in South Africa, Contagion Live reports. 

The vaccine is based on mRNA technology and promotes the production of broadly neutralising antibodies (BnAbs).

Candidate vaccine mRNA-1644 is also being trialled in the United States, with 56 participants enrolled. Earlier this year, Moderna also announced the start of clinical trials for another candidate vaccine - mRNA-1574. These trials will recruit around 100 people.

Currently, IAVA and Moderna are preparing to start pre-trial screening of participants for mRNA-1644. The trial centres will be the Center for Family Health Research (CFHR) in Kigali, Rwanda and The Aurum Institute in Tembisa, South Africa.

18 HIV-negative adults will take part in the first phase of the trial. They will receive 2 doses of the mRNA-based vaccine, which contains a portion of viral sequence but cannot cause HIV infection.

All participants in the open-label study will receive the therapy. They will be monitored for safety for 6 months after their second dose, and their immune responses will be examined in molecular detail to evaluate whether the targeted was achieved.

Preliminary results of the mRNA-1644 trial in the United States have shown that 97% of participants displayed the desired immune response.

“I think this is a revolutionary approach to HIV vaccine design and development, and I am hopeful that we are on the path to finally realizing an HIV vaccine," said Etienne Karita, MD, MSc, MSPH, the director of CFHR. “