The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, hosted by the International AIDS Society, has expressed disappointment over the Phase 2b/3 HIV vaccine study HVTN 702 that has been abruptly stopped by the trial sponsor, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
In a release signed by Annabelle McGregor, the decision to stop the trial conducted by the HIV Vaccine Trials network was reached following the recommendation of the Independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board.
According to the release, “The HIV vaccine research field had great hopes for this efficacy trial, which was conducted in South Africa – a country with one of the most severe HIV epidemics in the world.
“HVTN 702 tested a prime-boost regimen similar to the one which had shown modest efficacy in the RV144 trial conducted in Thailand and had been adapted to the type of HIV most common in southern Africa.”
Linda-Gail Bekker, IAS Immediate Past President and Chair of the Enterprise Advisory Group said, “Whilst this is a significant setback for the field, we need to continue the quest for a preventive vaccine.
“The rates of HIV infection, which continue unabated in this region, should spur greater urgency, global attention and investment to the quest.”
