Scientists have identified a new antibody that tackles HIV in a different manner than other known antibodies, according to a study published in the journal Nature Immunology. The authors believe it could help cover a significant gap in the fight against the virus.
The research, carried out at the University of Cologne, Germany, focuses on an antibody called 007. This antibody targets a vulnerable spot on the surface of the HIV virus known as the V3 glycan site. This region is important because it plays a key role in how the virus enters human cells, making it a long-standing target for researchers developing new treatments and vaccines.
The problem has been that most antibodies able to attack this site only work against some variants of HIV. The virus can change the sugar structures on its surface and dodge the immune response, meaning that many existing antibodies eventually lose their effectiveness against certain strains.
However, antibody 007 works differently. Unlike previous antibodies that target the same site, 007 does not rely on recognising a specific sugar structure. Even if HIV alters those sugars to escape, 007 still works. In laboratory tests, it remained effective against virus variants that had become resistant to other V3 antibodies.
Importantly, 007 also proved effective in combination with existing antibody therapies. Tests in a mouse model with human immune cells showed that adding 007 to existing treatment forced the virus to make multiple changes at once in order to escape, making resistance less likely to develop.
“The V3 glycan site has long been considered a vulnerable epitope of HIV-1, but until now it could only be partially exploited therapeutically and for vaccine development,” said first author Dr Lutz Gieselmann. Co-author Dr Malena Rohde added: “The identification of the antibody 007 demonstrates that this weak point can be targeted in a much more versatile way than previously assumed, thereby opening up new perspectives for vaccine development as well.”
The findings are significant both for developing more effective combination therapies and for guiding future vaccine design. Antibody 007 has already been licensed exclusively to the biotechnology company Vir Biotechnology, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, and is currently in preclinical development with support from Cologne-based start-up Togontech.
Gieselmann, L., DeLaitsch, A.T., Rohde, M. et al. Identification of a potent V3 glycan site broadly neutralizing antibody targeting an N332gp120 glycan-independent epitope. Nat Immunol 27, 572–585 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02385-3