A large-scale HIV vaccine trial has been stopped in South Africa. The trial called HVTN 702 or Uhambo was testing the efficacy of an HIV vaccine. It was stopped after the vaccine showed no signs of preventing HIV infection.
More than 5 000 people at 14 sites across the country took part in the trial which began four years ago. The trial was aimed at finding a vaccine which would give protection against the HIV strain most common in Southern Africa.
The HVTN 702 trial was the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine trial to take place in South Africa – a country with the largest HIV epidemic in the world. This is disappointing news for the HIV research sector which was hopeful of positive results from this study.
However, not all is lost as researchers believe that even though efficacy is not proven, information from this trial will play a critical role in informing future HIV vaccine development. They say the search for an HIV vaccine must go on.
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