Preventing immune reactions to AAV-delivered HIV antibodies
Eliminating the Immunogenicity of AAV Vectored HIV Antibody Delivery
This project develops new AAV gene-delivery methods to provide long-lasting HIV-fighting antibodies with fewer immune reactions for people at risk of or living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258030 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will look at blood and tissue samples from people who received AAV-delivered HIV antibodies to see which immune cells react and why some deliveries cause strong immune responses while others last a long time. They will study those responses at single-cell resolution using advanced lab techniques to map which parts of the immune system are involved. In the lab, the team will redesign the outer coating (capsid) of AAV vectors using directed evolution so the vectors avoid activating antigen-presenting immune cells. Promising capsids will be tested in preclinical models with the goal of moving the safest, least-reactive designs toward human use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults living with HIV or people at high risk of HIV who might enroll in trials of AAV-delivered broadly neutralizing antibodies or provide samples for immune-response studies.
Not a fit: People without HIV risk or those who are ineligible for gene-delivery or immunology trials (for example, certain pregnant individuals or those with specific immune conditions) may not receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make AAV-based delivery of HIV antibodies safer and longer-lasting, potentially reducing the need for repeated treatments and lowering side effects from immune reactions.
How similar studies have performed: Early Phase I human trials have shown mixed results—some AAV-delivered antibodies produced long-lived expression with low immunogenicity while others had poor expression and strong immune responses—so the approach has promise but remains inconsistent.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balazs, Alejandro Benjamin — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Balazs, Alejandro Benjamin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.