The design and evaluation of HIV-1 vaccines

There is renewed optimism that the goal of developing a highly effective AIDS vaccine is attainable. The HIV-1 vaccine field has seen its first trial of a vaccine candidate that prevents infection. Although modest in efficacy, this finding, along with the recent discovery that the human immune system can produce broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of inhibiting greater than 90% of circulating viruses, provides a guide for the rational design of vaccines and protection by passive immunization. Together, these findings will help shape the next generation of HIV vaccines.