Fundraising Goal met for HIV Vaccine

Immunity Project has reached its fundraising goal of $462,000 using crowdfunding. The funds will be used to complete a final experiment before clinical trials begin on humans. All donations are tax-deductible. The Phase 1 clinical trials for the vaccine will cost approximately $25 million dollars.

HIV/AIDS was selected by the Immunity Project because over 35 million people are currently living with HIV. Over 30 million lives have been lost to HIV since 1983, with 4,000 people losing the battle each day. Developing an HIV vaccine is of the utmost urgency.

The crowdfunding campaign of Immunity Project has drawn criticism for it's lack of scientific research and peer-reviewed processes. Most vaccine ideas fail, for various reasons, and the HIV vaccine that Immunity Project is developing is a long way off from known success, approval, and being available.

Despite the criticisms against Immunity Project, it has increased awareness about the work being done on an HIV vaccine and they are using the funds raised to further their research on the current vaccine. Whether the vaccine works remains to be seen, but having a new view of the scientific process behind developing vaccines is interesting. Immunity Project has also increased awareness on the need for an HIV vaccine.

Crowdfunding for HIV Vaccine Now Open

The Immunity Project Team

Earlier this month, we posted about HIV Vaccine Research that is currently taking place. The Wall Street Journal announced that Y Combinator is now backing the Immunity Project in their research to develop an HIV vaccine.

The Immunity Project has received $20,000 from Y Combinator to continue their research, which will move into the clinical trials phase soon.

In order to complete clinical trials, the Immunity Project needs to raise funds, and has set up a tax-deductible donation page on their website. Immunity Project has partnered with Until There's A Cure Foundation. To date, 1,189 supporters have donated $243,735. The goal is to raise $482,000. A detailed budget and timeline is also available on the fundraising website, with clinical trials being on track to begin in the United States in December 2014.

HIV/AIDS was selected by the Immunity Project because over 35 million people are currently living with HIV.  Over 30 million lives have been lost to HIV since 1983, with 4,000 people losing the battle each day. Developing an HIV vaccine is of the utmost urgency.