What happened to the BRILLIANT Consortium's HIV vaccine trials?

The BRILLIANT Consortium's HIV vaccine trials, funded by a $45 million USAID grant, were halted due to a U.S. executive order freezing foreign aid.

Why is developing an HIV vaccine in Africa so important?

Sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionately affected by HIV, making an African-developed vaccine crucial for controlling the epidemic on the continent.

How are researchers trying to overcome HIV's defenses?

The vaccine aims to stimulate the production of rare, broadly neutralizing antibodies that can recognize and neutralize various forms of the HIV virus.

Home / Health / Researchers Pivot After US Aid Cuts Stall HIV Vaccine

Researchers Pivot After US Aid Cuts Stall HIV Vaccine

17 Jan

•

Summary

A $45 million USAID grant for an African HIV vaccine was frozen due to an executive order.
Researchers are now seeking alternative funding for the stalled HIV vaccine trials.
The vaccine targets rare, powerful antibodies to fight HIV's evasiveness.

Researchers Pivot After US Aid Cuts Stall HIV Vaccine

A promising initiative to develop an HIV vaccine across Africa, funded by a $45 million USAID grant, faced a critical setback in early 2025. The BRILLIANT Consortium, comprising African scientists, had planned to launch trials but were halted by a U.S. executive order freezing foreign aid. This disruption significantly impacted the project, forcing researchers to scramble for alternative funding sources and scale back their ambitious plans.

Despite the devastating funding cut, the team is demonstrating resilience. Penny Moore highlighted the virus's evasive nature, characterized by sugar shields and rapid mutation, underscoring the urgent need for a vaccine. The research, bolstered by decades of work and contributions from South African women, has yielded crucial insights into broadly neutralizing antibodies, which the new vaccine aims to stimulate.