A potential Johnson & Johnson HIV vaccine finally had its trial. Unfortunately for researchers, the results were not as good as they expected. On Monday, Johnson & Johnson said it would halt its clinical trial of the experimental HIV vaccine with 2600 African women as participants. Researchers have discovered that a new vaccine is only 25% effective at preventing HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The participants were given either a placebo or the actual vaccine in order to determine whether it is efficient or not. The Sub-Saharan region became the location of the trial because it is HIV continues to represent a major problem here. With the long-term treatment and prevention of HIV still in place, it can be surprising that there is still such a high level of HIV among young women in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are extremely grateful to the women who volunteered for the Imbokodo study and to our partners, including the people on the frontlines, all of whom are contributing every day to this enduring quest to make HIV history. HIV is a unique and complex virus that has long posed unprecedented challenges for vaccine development because of its ability to attack, hijack and evade the human immune system,” declared vice chairman of the Executive Committee and chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, Paul Stoffels.
Johnson & Johnson HIV vaccine trials continue
It is unfortunate that Imbokodo did not provide sufficient protection against HIV. However, future research will use these results. Johnson & Johnson has also added that they exist to further scientific research in ways that can accelerate the development of treatments and cures. Although the company will stop the current trial, it will also begin a new one that uses a different vaccine composition. Researchers are continuing with a new trial, but they are enrolling only men and transgender people for this one.
