Nigeria, seven others begin research, development of HIV vaccine

Nigeria, alongside seven other African countries, has embarked on a five-year research initiative to develop an effective HIV vaccine.

The project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is conducted in collaboration with the ‘Bringing Innovation to Clinical and Laboratory Research to End HIV in Africa through New Vaccine Technology’ (BRILLIANT) Consortium.

USAID awarded over $45 million to the BRILLIANT consortium through a competitive process to implement this collaborative effort under the “HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA)” programme.

The African nations selected to participate in this initiative include South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique, alongside Nigeria.

Temitope Ilori, director general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), speaking in Abuja explained that this five-year research project aims to develop an effective vaccine against HIV, a virus particularly prevalent among young people. Success in this project would significantly contribute to the goal of eradicating the virus.

Ilori noted that the initiative aims to mobilise African scientists in the development of a vaccine led by Africans and suited to the continent’s unique challenges.

Africa bears around 25.9 million, or 65 per cent, of the global HIV burden, with Nigeria alone accounting for approximately 1.9 million cases, making it the country with the fourth-highest HIV burden globally, according to UNAIDS. To end the HIV epidemic, Ilori noted that an effective vaccine must complement existing prevention methods to halt transmission.

“HIV remains a significant challenge in Nigeria,” Ilori said. “Despite our progress in reducing new infections and controlling the virus, the epidemic persists, highlighting the need for new prevention tools. While NACA has continued to implement existing prevention measures, an effective vaccine is crucial to our efforts.

“The HIV-VISTA study offers hope for a vaccine tailored to our population’s needs, and Nigeria’s involvement in this global initiative is essential. Our participation supports local and international efforts to end AIDS and brings us closer to a vaccine that could save countless lives across Africa and beyond.”

“Our partnership within the BRILLIANT consortium aligns with inclusivity, ethical standards, and USAID’s Collaborate, Learn, and Adapt framework,” she continued. “This collaboration is consistent with NACA’s commitment to public health advancement in Nigeria. We fully support this initiative, provided it continues to align with Nigeria’s national interests”, the DG explained.

Alash’le Abimiku, executive director of the International Research Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and the Principal Investigator in Nigeria, emphasised the consortium’s goal of evaluating HIV vaccine candidates originating from the continent.

“Activities funded under the HIV-VISTA project will be implemented exclusively in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest HIV burden globally,” Dr Abimiku stated. “These funds will be applied directly in Africa, with significant in-kind resources leveraged. This robust collaboration, involving numerous partners and goodwill, promises effective outcomes without diverting funds back to the United States.

“This effort aims to empower African institutions to achieve greater autonomy, generate domestic resources, establish partnerships with the private sector, and potentially build a more sustainable system for HIV vaccine research and development, which has thus far been heavily reliant on US government funding,” Abimiku added.