A Novel PD1-based Vaccine for HIV/AIDS Immunotherapy

Professor Chen, Zhiwei   (Project Coordinator (PC))

Mr Cheung Wai Hung, David   (Co-Investigator)

18

2020-02-14

132977

A Novel PD1-based Vaccine for HIV/AIDS Immunotherapy

HIV/AIDS, Immunotherapy, PD1-based Vaccine

Microbiology

InP/034/20

Innovation and Technology Fund Internship Programme

2020

Completed

Since the discovery of AIDS in 1981, HIV-1 infection has resulted in globally over 39 million deaths and 36.9 million people currently living with the virus. This pandemic still grows at a speed of over 2 million new infections each year, with 2015 being the fifth consecutive year of historically high record of HIV-1 infections in Hong Kong. Although antiretroviral therapy helps control disease progression, reduces the chance of viral transmission and expands the life span of infected individuals, its lifelong cost burden and side effects make an effective HIV-1 vaccine and therapeutic cure the ultimate hope for the world. We recently found that an HKU-patented PD1-based vaccine displayed robust immunogenicity in mice and rhesus monkeys. This vaccine induced potent and broadly reactive CD8+ T cells against three major subtypes B/B’, CRF01_AE and CRF07/08_BC as well as their newly recombinant forms found in China. We, therefore, plan to manufacture this vaccine under GMP conditions, conduct preclinical safety studies and seek for CFDA's approval of human trials. Once the vaccine is effective in humans, it will be useful not only for preventing HIV-1 infection but also for immunotherapy of 36.9 million of infected people through suppressing viral replication and clearance persistent infected cells.