Global HIV vaccine development plan launched

A plan to increase and diversify global funding for HIV vaccine development has been launched at an HIV prevention conference in Madrid.

The strategic plan for 2018-23 was put together by the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, an alliance of public authorities, charities and companies working on HIV vaccine development, including the World Health Organization, the European Commission and pharmaceutical companies. It was launched on 22 October at the HIV Research for Prevention conference, which the enterprise also organised.

R&D funding for developing an HIV vaccine has remained the same for over a decade, corresponding to a decline in real terms, the plan’s authors say. Funding also comes from just a few sources. Eighty-five per cent of the $900 million (€784m) spent each year comes from only two funders: the United States government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.