The AMP Trials — A Glass Half Full

Abstract

Induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) is considered the holy grail for a preventive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine, but four decades into the HIV pandemic, this goal has still not been achieved. Success will probably require multiple sequential immunogens to guide the affinity maturation needed for the induction of antibodies that can target well-concealed neutralization epitopes on the heavily glycosylated, highly variable HIV envelope protein1 — a formidable task. In contrast, in some persons with HIV infection, nature has achieved what vaccines have not: the gradual generation of potent bnAbs that have been cloned and have shown antiviral efficacy . . .

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