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Yet another experimental HIV vaccine has failed. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reported Wednesday that a Phase 3 clinical trial of a vaccine was stopped because the vaccine was ineffective at preventing HIV infection. The vaccine was being developed by Janssen, the vaccine division of Johnson & Johnson. (Branswell, 1/18)

“It’s obviously disappointing,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, who as the long-time head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was an integral partner in the trial, said of the vaccine’s failure. However, he said, “there are a lot of other approaches” early in the HIV-vaccine research pipeline that he finds promising. (Ryan and Lavietas, 1/18)

The trial involved administering two different types of a shot, which uses a cold-causing virus to deliver the genetic code of HIV, spread over four vaccination visits in a year. J&J used similar technology for its COVID-19 vaccine. The study, which began in 2019, was conducted at over 50 sites and included about 3,900 gay men and transgender people - groups that are considered vulnerable to the infection. (Leo, 1/18)

The latest defeat sets progress toward a vaccine back by three to five years, experts said. ... An ongoing study called PrEPVacc in Eastern and Southern Africa is evaluating a combination of experimental H.I.V. vaccines and preventive drugs. Scientists have made headway in developing powerful antibodies that can neutralize the virus. And they are testing new vaccine technologies, including mRNA, against H.I.V.(Mandavilli, 1/18)

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans yesterday to accelerate the licensing and use of effective vaccines against tuberculosis (TB). ... There is currently only one licensed TB vaccine in use—the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine—but it is 100 years old and only effective in children under 5. (Dall, 1/18)