Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

November 18, 2019

19/11/2019

Experimental HIV vaccine successfully elicits broadly neutralizing antibodies to the virus Vaccinated rabbits produce antibodies to at least two vulnerable sites on HIV.

November 18, 2019

LA JOLLA, CA An experimental HIV vaccine developed by scientists at Scripps Research and the nonprofit vaccine research organization IAVI has reached an important milestone by eliciting antibodies that can neutralize a wide variety of HIV strains.

The tests, in rabbits, showed that these broadly neutralizing antibodies, or bnAbs, targeted at least two critical sites on the virus. Researchers widely assume that a vaccine must elicit bnAbs to multiple sites on HIV if it is to provide robust protection against this ever-changing virus.

The promising results, which appear in Immunity, suggest that researchers are one step closer to developing an effective HIV vaccine a major goal of medical science ever since the virus was identified in 1983.

It's an initial proof of principle but an important one, and we're now working to optimize this vaccine design, says the study's senior author Richard Wyatt, PhD, a professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research.

According to UNAIDS, about 35 million people worldwide have died of the immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS, which is caused by HIV infection. About 38 million others are now living with HIV infection. Antiviral drugs can keep HIV-infected people alive and reduce their ability to transmit the virus to others, but these drugs do not clear the infection and must be taken indefinitely. Researchers have long recognized that a preventive vaccine, available at a low cost to uninfected people, will be needed to eliminate HIV as a major public health threat.

HIV's rapid mutation rate and other mechanisms for evading immune attack have made it an extremely difficult target for vaccine designers. But the test conducted by Wyatt and his team confirms that vaccination can elicit the kinds of antibodies that are needed to provide broad protection against HIV. These bnAbs, as vaccine experts call them, can neutralize multiple HIV strains because they bind to critical sites on the virus that do not vary much from strain to strain. People who are infected with HIV sometimes produce bnAbs as part of their antibody response, but infrequently and usually after infection has been long established. The chief challenge for HIV vaccine designers has been to find ways to stimulate the immune system in most or all individuals into making bnAbs that hit multiple vulnerable sites on the virus, in order to protect against a high proportion of HIV strains.

At the heart of the vaccine design by Wyatt and colleagues is a virus-mimicking protein based on HIV's Env protein. Normally, multiple copies of bush-like Env proteins are spread out on the surface of each spherical HIV particle. Each Env protein contains a molecular mechanism that allows it to bind to a receptor on immune cells known as CD4, and use that receptor as a portal to break into the cell. The researchers engineered a version of Env that models the essential structures on the real Env while being stable enough to use as a vaccine. To present it in a way that would resemble a real HIV virus particle, they created virus-sized synthetic spheres of fat-related molecules, liposomes, which are studded densely with the engineered Env proteins.

On a natural HIV Env protein, thickets of sugar-related molecules called glycans normally help shield the all-important CD4 binding site from immune attack. As an initial priming immunization, the researchers used versions of Env in which this glycan shield around the CD4 binding site had been partly removed.

The idea was to better expose this site and thereby stimulate a broad antibody reaction to it at the start, Wyatt says.

Subsequent booster immunizations over 48 weeks used Env proteins with restored glycans, to select for antibodies that target the CD4 binding site but can also get through this shield. The Env proteins in the booster shots also were mixes based on different strains of HIV, to generally promote antibody responses against Env structures that do not vary among these strains.

The team inoculated 12 rabbits following their vaccine strategy and compared the results with a control group that received only a single, glycan-shielded version of Env. They found that their vaccine strategy had a much better response, with five of the rabbits developing antibodies that could neutralize multiple HIV isolates.

The researchers analyzed the antibodies of the rabbit that had responded most strongly, and identified two distinct types of bnAb. One, which they called E70, blocks the CD4 binding site as expected, though in an unusual way partly by grabbing one of the shielding glycans. The other, 1C2, hits a different but well known vulnerable spot on Env, at the interface between two key segments of the complex protein. The binding of antibody 1C2 apparently destabilizes Env so that it can no longer mediate HIV's entry into host cells. That antibody also turned out to have an unusual breadth of neutralization, blocking 87 percent of a panel of 208 distinct HIV isolates.

The finding is an important demonstration that vaccination against HIV, if done in the right way, can achieve the goal of inducing bnAbs to multiple sites on the virus, Wyatt says.

The team of scientists are continuing to test and improve their vaccine strategy in small animal models and hope eventually to test it in monkeys and then humans.

The co-lead authors of the study, Vaccination with Glycan-Modified HIV NFL Envelope Trimer-Liposomes Elicits Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies to Multiple Sites of Vulnerability, were Viktoriya Dubrovskaya, PhD, and Gabriel Ozorowski, PhD, of Scripps Research and Karen Tran, PhD, of the IAVI Neutralizing Antibod
LINK: https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2019/20191118-wyatt...
See more stories from scripps

North America Stories

24/03/2026

Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI/IP Innovations at the 2026 NAB Show

Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI/IP Innovations at the 2026 N...

24/03/2026

NAB 2026: Mediaproxy Highlights Enhancements to its LogServer suite at NAB Show 2026

Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Sh...

24/03/2026

Canada's Cgep de Jonquire and Calrec Take Five With a TV Studio Upgrade

C gep de Jonqui re, a public college in Qu bec, has upgraded its TV studio complex with five Calrec Brio consoles and a Dante IP network. The installation was c...

24/03/2026

American Association of Professional Baseball Expands Broadcast Partnerships with RYZ, Bally Sports Live, NLSE, FTF Sports, and SLVR

The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has announced new and r...

24/03/2026

Ateme KYRION Enabled NT's Nationwide Contribution Network During Southeast Asian Games 2025

National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) used Ateme's KYRION platform fo...

24/03/2026

FDJ United Upgrades Lottery Production with Grass Valley UHD Cameras

Grass Valley has expanded its relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of FDJ United, with the deployment of LDX C98 compact cameras across its nati...

24/03/2026

Scripps Sports Launches Free Streaming Channel Scripps Sports Network on March 24

The E.W. Scripps Company is launching Scripps Sports Network (SSN), a free, ad-s...

24/03/2026

SVG Sit-Down: NEP Platform VP Dan Murphy on Software-Driven Production and the Future of Live Sports Workflows

NEP Group has launched NEP Platform, a new software orchestration system that un...

24/03/2026

Daktronics Installs New Video Display and Ribbon Boards at Chase Field

Daktronics has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display and three ribbon boards at Chase Field in Phoe...

24/03/2026

Grass Valley Upgrades University of Pittsburgh Athletics to ST 2110 IP Production Infrastructure

Grass Valley has completed an upgrade of University of Pittsburgh Athletics'...

24/03/2026

Daktronics to Upgrade LED Displays at Wrigley Field

Daktronics is upgrading eight LED displays at Wrigley Field in Chicago, totaling more than 8,300 square feet, using the Daktronics Renew product line. The upgra...

24/03/2026

ASG Appoints Kevin Poole as Senior Project and Support Manager

Advanced Systems Group has appointed Kevin Poole as Senior Project and Support Manager within the ASG Workflow and Tools practice. The position is newly created...

24/03/2026

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Verimatrix's Juan Martinez on Safeguarding Live Sports Content

In an increasingly streaming-centric world, protecting high-value live sports co...

24/03/2026

The Countdown Is On! Prep for Vegas with SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog

Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, booth W1423. The update includes AI tools, native ...

24/03/2026

The Creator Economy's Growing Impact: Building the Modern Production Studio With Second Rodeo Productions' CEO Scott Brown

The production studio has worked with content juggernauts such as MrBeast, The R...

24/03/2026

MLB Local Media To Keynote Regional Sports Production Summit, June 29-30, Denver

The event will also feature a State of the Industry address from sports-media veteran and strategic advisor Patrick Crakes....

24/03/2026

Victory+ Launches NWSL Sunday Night Soccer Franchise

Victory , a free sports streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co. (APMC), has launched its NWSL Sunday Night Soccer franchise. The platform says the launch ...

24/03/2026

FAST Sports: Contrary to Some Data, Sports Does Have a Future on FAST

Sports content in free streaming is still relatively scant, but it's growing, right along with its monetization capabilities Streaming-tech company Wurl re...

24/03/2026

New Doc Sports Heaven: The Birth of ESPN' Produced by ESPN Historian Mike Soltys Arriving April 6

Directed by Greg DeHart, the doc will feature Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers...

24/03/2026

Tubi Unveils Plans for Creator-Driven Formula 1 Altcasts in Partnership With Apple TV

For the first time ever, Tubi - Fox's free streaming service - is working w...

24/03/2026

L3Harris Ramps Up Production for Counter-Unmanned Systems

L3Harris ramps up production of its VAMPIRE C-UxS system....

24/03/2026

Delivering Victory Through Fuzing Precision and Scale

For more than 70 years, L3Harris has delivered essential fuzes and safe-and-arm solutions that bring the might to multi-domain battlefields across the globe, ...

24/03/2026

FDJ United Leaves Nothing to Chance with UHD Lottery Prod...

Grass Valley has strengthened its long-standing relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of the FDJ United, with the deployment of Grass Valley LDX ...

24/03/2026

Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI IP In...

At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Utah Scientific will spotlight its expanding portfolio of hybrid SDI/IP routing, conversion, control, and signal management s...

24/03/2026

Miri V410 Live 4K Encoder-Decoder to Make North American...

Fresh off its global reveal at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, the new V410 live 4K encoder/decoder from Miri Technologies Inc. will make its North American debut at the...

24/03/2026

Cinegy delivers software defined television for the real...

Cinegy GmbH, premier provider of software-defined television technology, will show how its solutions answer the real challenges facing content creators and broa...

24/03/2026

ArtSound FM Futureproofs with DHD Audio Production Consol...

Canberra-based radio and online broadcast network ArtSound FM (https://artsound.fm/) has invested in DHD audio mixing consoles for two new studios at its headqu...

24/03/2026

IBC unveils 2026 Accelerator projects tackling industry c...

IBC today announced the nine projects selected for its 2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, bringing together organisations from across broadcast, strea...

24/03/2026

Mediaproxy Highlights Significant Enhancements to its Log...

Mediaproxy, the global standard for software-based IP compliance monitoring and multiviewing solutions, will showcase the next generation of its industry-leadin...

24/03/2026

Cegep de Jonquiere and Calrec take five with a substantia...

Underscoring its global reputation as one of Canada's most renowned colleges for television production, the C gep de Jonqui re public college in Qu bec has ...

24/03/2026

Synamedia launches industry-first edge watermarking solut...

Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced the launch of the industry's first edge watermarking solution that enables faster disruption of pi...

24/03/2026

Experience Commerce Wins Social Media Mandate for Fintech...

Experience Commerce, a leading full-service digital marketing agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has secured the annual social media mandate for Fiat Payme...

24/03/2026

FCC Approves TV Station License Transfers to Gray

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/03/2026

Study: Globally HBO Max Is Most Widely Bundled Streaming Service

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/03/2026

Charter Communications Names John Lee Head Of Intelligence Ventures

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/03/2026

Intinor introduces enhanced SRT monitoring, HDR transport and NDI Advanced support at NAB Show 2026

Intinor introduces enhanced SRT monitoring, HDR transport and NDI Advanced suppo...

24/03/2026

Miri V410 Live 4K Encoder/Decoder to Make North American Debut at 2026 NAB Show

Miri V410 Live 4K Encoder/Decoder to Make North American Debut at 2026 NAB Show Brie Clayton March 23, 2026 0 Comments Powerful new solution for strea...

24/03/2026

Tribeca Festival And Vulture Partner To Bring Vulture Festival Back To New York For Tribeca's 25th Anniversary

March 24th, 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND VULTURE PARTNER TO BRING VULTURE FESTI...

24/03/2026

Tribeca X Announces Preliminary 2026 Speaker Lineup

March 24th, 2026 TRIBECA X ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY 2026 SPEAKER LINEUP Cedric the Entertainer, Ted Danson, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, Dhar Mann, K-Pop Demon ...

24/03/2026

McDonald's and Netflix Call on Fans to Pick a Side With Two New 'KPop Demon Hunters'-Inspired Meals

Back to All News McDonalds and Netflix Call on Fans to Pick a Side With Two New...

24/03/2026

BTS Commands the Global Stage as 'BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG' Draws 18.4 Millions Global Viewers

Back to All News BTS Commands the Global Stage as BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRA...

24/03/2026

Advancing Open Source AI, NVIDIA Donates Dynamic Resource Allocation Driver for GPUs to Kubernetes Community

Artificial intelligence has rapidly emerged as one of the most critical workload...

23/03/2026

Professional Fighters League & U-Next Renew Multi-year Partnership to Broadcast PFL Events Live in Japan

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has renewed its multi-year partnership wi...

23/03/2026

The Snow League Announces Google Cloud as Official Cloud and AI Partner to Power Personalized Fan Experiences Worldwide

The Snow League has named Google Cloud as its Official Cloud and AI Partner. The...

23/03/2026

Chyron Appoints Eric Wolff as Director of Venues Sales, North America

Chyron has appointed Eric Wolff as Director of Venues Sales, North America. Wolff previously served as Director of Broadcast Operations & Media Production for T...

23/03/2026

Chicago Sports Network, WCIU To Simulcast 10 White Sox Games

Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) and Weigel Broadcasting's WCIU (The U, ch. 26.1) will simulcast 10 Chicago White Sox games during the 2026 season, the compani...

23/03/2026

Cosm Appoints Jon Werbeck as VP, Head of Sponsorships

Cosm has appointed Jon Werbeck as Vice President, Head of Sponsorships. He will report to Corey Breton, Head of Venues, and will focus on corporate sponsorship ...

23/03/2026

CP Communications Partners with Mark Roberts Motion Control to Bring Robotic Camera Systems to Florida

CP Communications has announced a partnership with Mark Roberts Motion Control (...

23/03/2026

NAB 2026: Creators, Media Leaders, Storytelling Legends and AI Step Into the Spotlight as Lineup is Unveiled

NAB Show 2026, taking place April 18-22 (exhibits April 19-22) at the Las Vegas ...

23/03/2026

Bay FC Announces Multi-Year Partnership with Victory+ as the Official Streaming Partner

Bay FC and free streaming platform Victory have announced a partnership through...