Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise has launched a five-year strategy to accelerate the development of safe and effective vaccine toward preventing HIV infection.
The strategic plan was unveiled on Monday at the opening of HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P 2018) conference in Madrid, Spain.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that HIVR4P conference is the world’s only scientific conference dedicated exclusively to biomedical HIV prevention.
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise is hosted by International AIDS Society (IAS).
Anton Pozniak, IAS President, said the new strategic plan was developed through an IAS-led consultation involving HIV vaccine research and funding stakeholders, the Enterprise Strategic Advisory Group and the IAS Governing Council.
Pozniak said the new strategy presented the opportunity to address some of the most significant challenges in HIV vaccine development.
He added that the new strategy would evaluate current opportunities, challenges and obstacles in HIV vaccine research and development and recommend series of steps.
The IAS president said that the plan advanced the ongoing partnership between the IAS, the world’s largest association of HIV professionals and Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise.
He explained that “the new strategy builds on more than a decade of work by Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise to identify critical gaps in systems and knowledge, promote collaboration and address one of the greatest scientific challenges.
“While the HIV vaccine landscape offers greater scientific promise than ever before, the field also faces real challenges in terms of aligning scientific priorities as well as developing the smartest and most effective research studies.
“It also helps maintaining funding, engaging and maximizing the contributions of all global stakeholders in the search for a vaccine,” Pozniak added.
He added that the strategy would propel the vaccine pipeline by strengthening strategies to align, amplify and accelerate development of candidate vaccines
“It will also prepare for success by tackling priorities essential to clarifying the road map for future access to a vaccine.
‘”As well expands resources and engagement by enlisting a diverse community of partners to support and contribute to the field,” he said.
He said that scientific discoveries led to promising new approach to HIV vaccine development and with several large-scale vaccine efficacy studies underway.
Pozniak said the new strategy would also take a fresh look at the major challenges confronting the HIV vaccine paradigm.
Glenda Grey, President, South African Research Council (SRC), said the IAS/Enterprise plan proposed series of near-term activities to address critical and of-the-moment challenges.
Grey said that it would also address long-term goals and guideposts to measure achievements as well guide adjustments in the strategy as the field evolves.
“The plan’s activities will be sequenced strategically and guided by annual implementation plans with detailed activities, timelines and deliverable.
“This plan captures the promise and challenges of a unique and exciting moment in HIV vaccine development and offers a road map for action to bring us closer to the end of this epidemic.
“With the support, expertise and convening power of IAS, this new strategic plan will build on the Enterprise’s longstanding role as both neutral convener and facilitator of collaboration in the HIV vaccine field.
“It will also propel the realisation of our shared vision to develop a safe, effective and globally available HIV vaccine,” he said.
NAN
