By Bunmi Yekini
Researchers from Hong Kong and mainland China say an experimental therapeutic HIV vaccine has shown encouraging results in an early-stage clinical trial, raising hopes for a future treatment that could help people living with HIV control the virus without the need for lifelong daily medication.
The cross-border research team announced findings from an investigator-initiated extension study on Tuesday in Shenzhen, describing the results as an important step toward what scientists call a “functional cure” for HIV, a state in which the virus remains under control without continuous antiretroviral therapy.
The study, conducted at Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, enrolled 10 HIV-positive volunteers, seven of whom completed the treatment protocol. Researchers reported that two participants achieved significant viral suppression after treatment, while all but one showed some degree of viral control.
“This is a key milestone,” said Chen Zhiwei, chair of Immunology and Immunotherapy and director of the AIDS Institute at the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine.
“One case showed excellent outcomes and another demonstrated notable effects. These findings will help guide the design of phase II clinical trials, including treatment protocols, dosage and monitoring strategies,” Chen said during an academic seminar in Shenzhen.
Unlike traditional antiretroviral therapies that require lifelong use to suppress HIV replication, the experimental vaccine is based on nucleic acid technology designed to stimulate the body’s immune system to control the virus over an extended period.
Scientists say such an approach could reduce treatment-related side effects and ease the financial burden associated with long-term HIV care.
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), about 40.8 million people worldwide are living with HIV. Despite global efforts to reduce transmission, approximately 1.3 million new HIV infections were recorded in 2024.
HIV attacks the body’s immune system and, if left untreated, can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the most advanced stage of infection. Since AIDS was first identified in 1981, HIV-related illnesses have claimed more than 44 million lives globally.
Current antiretroviral drugs can effectively suppress the virus but cannot eliminate it from the body. In the United States, for example, a year’s treatment with commonly prescribed HIV medicine Biktarvy can cost around $50,000 before insurance and discounts.
Researchers estimate the new vaccine could cost between 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and 20,000 yuan per dose if approved. A full treatment course is expected to involve around 10 injections administered over three years, although dosing schedules may change as clinical development progresses.
The research team plans to begin larger Phase II trials, which are expected to conclude in 2028. If successful, the scientists hope to seek conditional approval for use in selected hospitals before a broader rollout across China, including Hong Kong, by 2030 or 2031.
In May, the researchers established a technology innovation centre in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone to accelerate the development and application of HIV vaccines and related technologies.
While experts caution that larger trials will be needed to confirm the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, the findings add to growing global efforts to develop therapies capable of controlling HIV without lifelong treatment, a goal that has remained elusive more than four decades after the virus was first identified.