A much-anticipated HIV vaccine trial set to begin in early 2025 has been abruptly halted after U.S. funding was withdrawn.

The trial, developed under the BRILLIANT consortium, was expected to mark a significant milestone in HIV prevention in South Africa, the country with the world’s highest number of HIV-positive individuals.

Despite having secured all necessary approvals, the research is now frozen, with vaccine doses sitting unused in laboratories.

This sudden disruption is part of a broader wave of funding reductions that are affecting research and health services across the country, including shut down of clinics and staff losing jobs.

The MATRIX project, focused on developing new HIV prevention methods for women, and launched in 2021, once operated across multiple African countries with support from USAID. With funding gone and partnerships dissolved, it has also been forced to shut down and there is little hope of revival.

Researchers are now urgently looking for new sources of support, including potential collaborations with philanthropic groups and pharmaceutical companies.

While the path forward remains uncertain, many believe that South Africa’s strong research foundation and determined scientific community can still find ways to continue the fight against HIV.