From the Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2010
By MARK SCHOOFS

In a significant step toward an AIDS vaccine, U.S. government scientists have discovered three powerful antibodies, the strongest of which neutralizes 91% of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered.

The antibodies were discovered in the cells of a 60-year-old African-American gay man. Researchers screened his cells to find 12 that produced the antibodies. Now the trick will be for scientists to develop a vaccine or other methods to make anyone’s body produce them.

Gary Nabel, director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, “We’re going to be at this for a while” before any benefit is seen in the clinic.

More than 33 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2008.

One potential pitfall: There is evidence that Donor 45′s cells took months or possibly even years to create the powerful antibodies. That means scientists might have to give repeated booster shots or devise other ways to speed up this process.

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