{"id":7111,"date":"2026-04-06T09:20:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T09:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/south-africas-first-in-human-hiv-vaccine-trial-signals-a-scientific-power-shift-forbes-africa\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:20:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T09:20:49","slug":"south-africas-first-in-human-hiv-vaccine-trial-signals-a-scientific-power-shift-forbes-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/south-africas-first-in-human-hiv-vaccine-trial-signals-a-scientific-power-shift-forbes-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa\u2019s First-In-Human HIV Vaccine Trial Signals A Scientific Power Shift &#8211; Forbes Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Researchers\u00a0launched BRILLIANT 011\u00a0in\u00a0early\u00a02026\u2013a\u00a0milestone marking\u00a0a\u00a0shift from the continent\u00a0being seen\u00a0as a research site\u00a0and more as\u00a0a\u00a0leader in\u00a0vaccine science.\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>In February, the first\u00a0trial\u00a0participants\u00a0received\u00a0the\u00a0BRILLIANT 011\u00a0experimental HIV vaccine\u2013a\u00a0first-in-human clinical trial\u00a0by\u00a0the BRILLIANT Consortium (BRinging\u00a0Innovation to\u00a0cLinical\u00a0and Laboratory research to end HIV In Africa through New vaccine Technology)\u2013led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).\u00a0<br \/>However,\u00a0according to Glenda Gray, pediatrician, HIV\u00a0researcher\u00a0and professor at the University of the Witwatersrand,\u00a0it\u00a0is more than a scientific milestone; the trial\u00a0represents\u00a0a structural shift in Africa\u2019s role in global vaccine development.\u00a0<br \/>\u201cThis isn\u2019t just about being first-in-human,\u201d says Gray\u00a0to\u00a0FORBES AFRICA. \u201cIt\u2019s about leading fundamental vaccine science on the continent.\u201d\u00a0<br \/>HIV\u00a0is\u00a0reportedly\u00a0one\u00a0of the most complex viruses to target with a vaccine.\u00a0In Africa,\u00a0an estimated average of 3.1% of the population live\u00a0HIV-positive lives, according to\u00a02024 data from\u00a0the World Health Organization (WHO).\u00a0In\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/country-rankings\/hiv-rates-by-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">South Africa<\/a>, prevalence stands at 17.2%,\u00a0translating\u00a0to\u00a0around\u00a07.8\u00a0million people living with HIV.\u00a0<br \/>Loading&#8230;<br \/><strong>A Bold Scientific Strategy<\/strong>\u00a0<br \/>The study\u00a0tests\u00a0two experimental vaccine components\u2014BG505\u00a0SOSIP.GT1.1\u00a0and\u00a0426c.Mod.Core-C4b\u2014combined with the SMNP adjuvant to stimulate a broader immune response against HIV.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>Unlike traditional vaccine trials that test components sequentially, this trial administers them together to trigger a stronger antibody response.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>Rather than progressing cautiously over\u00a0years, the team aims to \u201cfail fast or progress fast\u201d.\u00a0Also, early-stage success would\u00a0not mean a ready-to-deploy vaccine\u00a0but rather a\u00a0mapping\u00a0of\u00a0immune responses in real\u00a0time, and\u00a0then\u00a0designing the next iteration from African laboratories.\u00a0<br \/>\u201cOne immunogen is from a participant in Soweto, the other from Kenya,\u201d Gray explains.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>\u201cThese are African strains. This\u00a0matters\u2013our immune responses differ. You cannot simply extrapolate vaccine data generated elsewhere and assume it will work here.\u201d\u00a0<br \/>Scientists\u00a0and activists\u00a0say the trial is significant because African laboratories are leading both the clinical testing and the advanced immunology analysis, rather than exporting samples to Europe or the United States,\u00a0as has often been the case in past studies.\u00a0<br \/>\u201cWe used to draw the blood and ship it,\u201d says Gray. \u201cNow we do the immunology here.\u201d\u00a0<br \/>According to\u00a0her, there are four strategic reasons the first-in-human phase is taking place in South Africa: genetic diversity, viral strain relevance, data sovereignty, and speed and optimization\u00a0<br \/><strong>Beyond ART: Why A Vaccine Still Matters<\/strong>\u00a0<br \/>While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed HIV from a\u00a0\u2018cause\u00a0of\u00a0death\u2019\u00a0into a manageable condition for many patients,\u00a0vaccines\u00a0remain\u00a0critical.\u00a0<br \/>\u201cA vaccine would induce durable immune responses that could protect for years,\u201d\u00a0Gray\u00a0says. \u201cIt would be easier to deploy, more affordable\u00a0[in the]\u00a0long term, and reduce stigma.\u201d\u00a0<br \/>Human rights activist and Lead\u00a0at\u00a0UNITED! Movement South Africa,\u00a0Munnira\u2011Afrikana\u00a0Katongole,\u00a0stresses\u00a0that\u00a0\u201cscientific breakthroughs like vaccines are incredibly important, but they cannot replace the social and structural work that has always been central to the HIV response\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>\u201cPrevention tools such\u00a0as\u00a0ART,\u00a0PrEP, treatment access, education,\u00a0and stigma reduction must continue alongside vaccine development,\u201d she explains.\u00a0<br \/><strong>Women,\u00a0Children\u00a0and\u00a0the Long View<\/strong>\u00a0<br \/>The\u00a0study\u2019s\u00a0long-term ambition is pediatric.\u00a0Gray\u00a0states that infant immune systems are uniquely plastic, with\u00a0research\u00a0suggesting that\u00a0they can develop neutralizing antibodies more rapidly and with greater durability than adults.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>If the regimen proves safe, future studies could move toward newborns\u2014aiming to prime immunity early in life.\u00a0For Gray, the vision is generational: grandchildren who receive an HIV vaccine as routinely as measles or polio shots.\u00a0<br \/><strong>A Continental Turning Point<\/strong>\u00a0<br \/>If successful, the implications\u00a0could\u00a0extend beyond HIV.\u00a0Gray\u00a0believes\u00a0the approach could also help inform vaccine research for diseases such as tuberculosis\u00a0(TB)\u00a0and malaria, signaling a broader shift toward African-led biomedical innovation.\u00a0<br \/>More broadly,\u00a0the study\u00a0challenges a historical pattern of extraction\u2014of minerals,\u00a0labor\u00a0and even biological samples\u2014without reciprocal leadership.\u00a0<br \/>\u201cWhat do I hope history will say?\u201d Gray reflects, adding,\u00a0\u201c\u2026that our\u00a0gogos\u00a0<em>[grandmothers]<\/em>\u00a0decided to fight. Women have fought for the vote, fought against apartheid, fought against HIV.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Loading&#8230;<br \/>Get the best of Forbes Africa sent straight to your inbox with breaking business news, insights and updates from experts across the continent.<br \/>Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. By signing up for newsletters, you are agreeing to our<!-- --> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbcafrica.com\/privacy-policy-terms-of-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Terms of Use and Privacy Policy<\/a>.<br \/>\u00a9 <!-- -->2026<!-- --> <a class=\"no-underline text-branddarkgray transition duration-500 ease-in-out hover:text-black\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbesafrica.com\">Forbes Africa<\/a>. All Rights Reserved<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/rss\/articles\/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxOaDdEbEpZOTVRSUpsY1NOeC1uekd6ZmFObW40YWtWMXlHLXRnaE01LWFMTHpzUlhQLVhqaVhIV2pCNXAxZlIxR19LRUhHS2x6Z2JTRjFiX3kxT0NzcGh5UTBaeThoUFNpcUZyUEF3b2ZtZDM0YkZ1MFI5czc0LWVJdGZmRFFmME9LVHpScXd2VzdKTE85OFlXa2pjTWdYOFNsRlhhcG5WRTBpWUpDb2pzdGFJQjBZOExieHJCaUU2WEVMajczYk9IWEZmcmVrTWxVOVE?oc=5\">source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers\u00a0launched BRILLIANT 011\u00a0in\u00a0early\u00a02026\u2013a\u00a0milestone marking\u00a0a\u00a0shift from the continent\u00a0being seen\u00a0as a research site\u00a0and more as\u00a0a\u00a0leader in\u00a0vaccine science.\u00a0In February, the first\u00a0trial\u00a0participants\u00a0received\u00a0the\u00a0BRILLIANT 011\u00a0experimental HIV vaccine\u2013a\u00a0first-in-human clinical trial\u00a0by\u00a0the BRILLIANT Consortium (BRinging\u00a0Innovation to\u00a0cLinical\u00a0and Laboratory research to end HIV In Africa through New vaccine Technology)\u2013led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).\u00a0However,\u00a0according to Glenda Gray, pediatrician, HIV\u00a0researcher\u00a0and professor at the University [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7111","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}