Johnson & Johnson cuts trial for its HIV vaccine following disappointing data
pharmafile | January 19, 2023 | News story | Medical Communications |
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced that it has ended its clinical trial for its experimental HIV vaccine, following disappointing results showing that the jab was ineffective at preventing HIV infections.
The vaccine was tested among gay men and transgender people and was found to be safe, however data showed that the jab offered no extra protection against HIV when compared to the placebo group.
The clinical trial included almost 4,000 volunteers aged 18 to 60 years, in regions including Europe, North America and South America. The trial received funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
It was hoped that this vaccine would provide protection against multiple strains of HIV, with J&J utilising the same antigen delivery system it used for its COVID-19 vaccine, however in this case the vaccine did not succeed. Back in 2021, J&J also attempted to develop another HIV vaccine, along with other sponsors, however this was also found to be ineffective.
The WHO has called HIV a continuing “major global public health issue”, with 650,000 people dying from HIV related causes and 1.5 million people contracting HIV both in 2021.
Susan Buchbinder, co-chairwoman of the clinical trial, commented: “For our research partners and others who have waged a decades-long effort to develop vaccines to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic, these results are disappointing. […] Although HIV continues to prove uniquely challenging for development of a vaccine, the HIV research community remains fully committed to doing just that, and each study brings us a step closer to this realisation.”
Betsy Goodfellow
