Moderna’s mRNA Vaccine: Key to an HIV-free World

by John Dane Valdez | Allosyndesis

From COVID-19 to HIV, one company aims to make the world a better place--one mRNA vaccine at a time. 

Moderna Inc. is an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, currently well-known for utilizing messenger RNA (mRNA) science in making treatments that improve human lives. Last April, the World Health Organization authorized Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, making it one of the first administered jabs globally. The success of their vaccine led to Moderna creating another mRNA vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The messenger RNA (mRNA) is the intermediary between the DNA and proteins in the central dogma of molecular biology. Essentially, the DNA is transcribed to form the mRNA, which then provides instructions to the cells to create different kinds of proteins. mRNA vaccines use this mechanism to their advantage since they carry weakened viral mRNA that codes for specific proteins. These viral proteins would then trigger an immune response, resulting in the production of appropriate antibodies to combat the infection.

For the longest time, scientists have been trying to figure out how to cure HIV. Various HIV vaccines have been developed in the past, which made use of inactivated forms of the virus. However, previously conducted trials have shown that these vaccines were not able to elicit an immune response, and that introducing inactivated viruses in the body increases the risk of HIV infection. Looking at the virus itself, HIV has the ability to evolve rapidly and produce new mutations, allowing it to elude antibodies. Moreover, its envelope glycoprotein mimics the structure of sugar chains found on human proteins, making the virus undetectable in the human body. 

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) managed to engineer an immunogen called the eOD-GT8 60mer, which is an antigen capable of eliciting an immune response. It is capable of inducing specific immature B cells to create broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that can block HIV in target cells. Armed with this new development, IAVI has partnered with Moderna to create an mRNA vaccine referred to as mRNA-164.

The first phase of clinical trials for the HIV candidate vaccine began in August 2021, and is expected to be completed after 10 months. Along with the mRNA-1644 vaccine, Moderna has also developed a variant called the mRNA-1644-v2-Core. The vaccines were given to 56 HIV-negative adults aged 18 to 56. The trial aims to evaluate the safety of the vaccine and to monitor the development of an immune response in the participants. The participants were split into four different groups, wherein one group received the mRNA-1644, the other group got the mRNA-1644-v2-Core, and the remaining groups had a mix of both variants. Instead of a blind trial, the participants were informed as to what type of vaccine they had received.

As of 2019, approximately 38 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. Around two million people are infected with the virus every year, and around 690,000 people die due to HIV or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is a lifelong and progressive disease with no known cure. In the Philippines, HIV is considered to be an epidemic and is the fastest-growing one among all the countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2019, an estimated 97,000 Filipinos live with HIV, wherein 73% are aware of their condition while 44% are receiving antiretroviral treatment. HIV is also considered as a highly stigmatized virus. This is evident in the Philippines, wherein the groups most affected by the HIV epidemic are those that face social stigma, isolation, and discrimination. These groups include intravenous drug users, homosexual males, sex workers, and the transgender community. 

In the event that the human trials for the HIV vaccine would prove to be successful, it can cause significant changes to the status quo. For one, it would allow the public to become more aware of HIV/AIDS and the possible effects that it may have on one’s immune system. Also, the trials would serve as another proof of vaccines being capable of preventing certain diseases. This is most relevant today as vaccine hesitancy is still a major issue that some people may have, despite the proven effectiveness of vaccines. Finally, the development of these vaccines provides an avenue for people to have conversations about HIV. This is especially helpful for those individuals that have been struggling with the disease, and by having more and more people talk about it, the stigma against HIV will be eventually broken.

These mRNA HIV vaccines pose a significant shift in how the general populace perceives HIV/AIDS. Even without this major development in the field of vaccines, we have a responsibility to keep an open mind and to inform ourselves with the correct knowledge about HIV. We can only hope that by the end of these human trials, we can start to have an HIV-free world.