The Mosaic HIV vaccine it is already tested in Mexico and eight other countries
This type of treatment cannot be used in the general population
“A swallow does not make spring,” says Dr. Roberto Vázquez Campuzano, an academic at UNAM, about the recent cure with stem cells of a woman infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
He acknowledges, however, that the use of umbilical cord cells to treat various diseases is a huge advance for public health.
Although the mosaic vaccine has made it possible to treat people with HIVfurther investigation is necessary.
Unfortunately, this type of treatment cannot be used in the general population and is mainly limited to patients with some type of cancer.
Multiple strategies have been used to cure AIDS. From heating the blood of patients to eliminate the virus to the use of stem cells from the umbilical cord.
Unfortunately, adds the professor of the Faculty of Medicine, HIV integrates its genetic material with that of our cellsmaking it impossible to eradicate, until now.
Stem cells are pluripotent and give rise to many cells, but if they already contain HIV, they will remain infected throughout their lives and will gradually be eliminated.
Preventive, not curative
The other strategy —says Dr. Vázquez Campuzano, from the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE)— is the use of monoclonal antibodieswhich are also working not only for HIV but also for other diseases.
The United States Government recently announced a $65 million project for the development of new vaccines that can be used in the event of the emergence of new pandemics.
In Mexico and in eight other countries, the Mosaic vaccine is being tested against the human immunodeficiency virus, which Dr. Vázquez Campuzano hopes can help prevent AIDS in the not too distant future.
The Mosaic vaccine, already in phase 3, is being tested in three cities in our country: en Mexico City, in Mérida, Yucatán, and in Guadalajara, Jalisco. “A good number of volunteers” participate in this project, who will help prove its effectiveness.
Vaccines require going through various stages before their authorization and application. First, through preclinical phases that are generally carried out in small mammals, to ensure that it is reasonably safe. Subsequently, clinical studies are carried out, which are carried out in four phases. in phase 1 are applied to a few individuals, around 100, to ensure that no dangerous side effects in humans. in phase 2 the effectiveness of the vaccine is verified, so it is scaled to several hundred volunteers (200 to 500). in phase 3 I know evaluates the dose and efficacy, already testing it with thousands of people, usually in multicenter studies. Phase 4 is carried out once the vaccine has been approved and allows its actual operation to be determined.
Mosaic is a preventive vaccine, not a curative one.
Dr. Vázquez Campuzano is very confident that the Mosaic vaccine will work “quite well.” In three or four years the results will be seen.
This vaccine, which began development in late 2019, is a mixture of proteins or different viral antigens from the virus envelope, which are used to induce the immune response. In theory, says Vázquez Campuzano, it would allow the immune system to recognize most of the HIV that a person had in circulation.
The Mosaic is a preventive vaccine, not curative. And it would apply to the population that has or could have a situation of risk of HIV infection.
Since HIV is transmitted sexually, practically everyone would be at risk of becoming infected. The vaccine would apply first to couples of HIV-positive people or who are engaged in any activity that involves a potential transmission of the virus. Then to the rest of the people.
The last time an HIV vaccine made it to phase 3 was in 2009., when the RV144 trial showed some promising results. Now, after almost 13 years, with the Mosaic vaccine there is “a good candidate and we hope it works very well.”
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