An experimental vaccine from Johnson & Johnson that uses an approach similar to its COVID-19 vaccine did not adequately protect women from acquiring HIV in a large trial in Africa, the company announced August 31.
The findings from the Imbokodo study are the latest in a string of disappointments over the past three decades. Unlike the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, which were developed in less than a year, HIV vaccines are more challenging because the virus mutates rapidly and hides from the immune system.
While researchers and advocates called for increased investment in HIV vaccine research, the latest failure suggests new approaches will be necessary. "With the additional insights gained in the COVID-19 response, with concerted