AIDS vaccine: Lipidots® open the door to a novel approach

Researchers from Leti, CEA Sciences, and INSERM injected Lipidots® (lipid-based nanoparticles) containing the p24 protein of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) into an animal model and obtained a robust and complete immune response.

Lipidots® were created by Leti and CNRS in 2006 to encapsulate and deliver drugs or fluorescent chemical compounds to “target” cells. The lipid-based nanoparticles are easy to produce on a large scale, stable, and well-tolerated by the human organism. They are protected by a total of fourteen patents.

Antibodies and T-cells

Recent research to investigate a novel approach to an HIV vaccine could give Lipidots® a new use. The researchers grafted the p24 protein, a fragment of the HIV viral capsid, and immunostimulants onto the lipid-based nanoparticles. They obtained the production of a large number of antibodies and a very strong T-cell response.

The size of the Lipidots®, which measure just 100 nm in diameter, was a plus. The tiny Lipidots® can effectively enter the lymphatic vessels and reach the nodes, where the immune response is triggered.

The next step will be to experiment with a broader approach by encapsulating several antigens. The road to an AIDS vaccine that is effective in humans remains long. This latest advance could help get there faster.

Contact: fabrice.navarro@cea.fr

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