HIV Vaccines: Biological and Clinical Considerations.

The discovery of an HIV-1 vaccine is a high priority. Recent advances in HIV vaccine development include an improved understanding about virus biology and structure, and the development of quantitative techniques that enable a detailed analysis of vaccine-induced immune responses in humans. The preclinical vaccine pipeline looks healthy, and a common feature of the new vaccine strategies is their ability to attenuate clinical disease rather than prevent HIV infection in nonhuman primates. Human clinical trials to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of these vaccine candidates and strategies are being actively pursued.