Russia's HIV vaccine might be ready in two years
(MENAFN) A Russian HIV vaccine could be available in roughly two years, according to a leading epidemiologist from Moscow’s Gamaleya Center, as reported by sources.
The anticipated vaccine will utilize mRNA technology, explained Vladimir Gushchin, head of the center’s epidemiology department. Unlike conventional vaccines, mRNA-based versions deliver genetic instructions that enable the body’s cells to produce specific proteins, prompting an immune response that helps the body recognize and fight the virus if exposed.
“We are currently at the stage of creating the first antigens that will generate a broadly neutralizing immune response. The success of the vaccine will depend on whether the immunogen we use can trigger a response capable of protecting against all variants,” Gushchin said, emphasizing that HIV’s extreme diversity makes the task particularly challenging.
The Gamaleya Center previously developed Sputnik V, one of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccines, which was introduced in August 2020. The vaccine demonstrated up to 97.8% efficacy with no serious side effects and has been approved in nearly 70 countries.
Gushchin noted that although HIV vaccine research has been ongoing for years, mRNA platforms offer a key advantage by producing a stronger immune response.
“This will be a genetically engineered vaccine, created from a structure that initially exists only in a computer,” he explained. The institute is currently developing immunogens designed to neutralize the widest possible range of HIV strains.
In the next phase, the most promising immunogens will be tested in complex animal models, with the full development process projected to take around two years.
According to recent global HIV data, new infections have fallen by 40% since 2010, with 1.3 million new cases reported in 2024. AIDS-related deaths decreased by 56% during the same period due to improved access to testing and treatment. By the end of 2024, 77% of the 40.8 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 73% had achieved suppressed viral loads.
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