Vaccine research worth supporting

Two ‘broadly neutralising’ antibodies have recently been isolated from a sub­Saharan African donor.

Apparently, these particular antibodies not only target multiple strains of HIV (i.e., they are broadly neutralising) but they also bind tightly to the virus [1]A small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. and work at minute levels compared to previously discovered neutralising antibodies.

They have also revealed a more vulnerable and easier­to­reach spot on the virus that no previously known antibody targets.

The unusual features of these two antibodies provide exciting new leads for the design of HIV vaccines. Potentially, they could stimulate the body to make potent antibodies active against a broad range of strains of HIV.