International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is a global not-for-profit, public-private partnership working to accelerate the development of vaccines to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. IAVI researches and develops vaccine candidates, conducts policy analyses, serves as an advocate for the HIV prevention field and engages communities in the trial process and AIDS vaccine education. The organization takes a comprehensive approach to HIV and AIDS that supports existing HIV prevention and treatment programs while emphasizing the need for new AIDS prevention tools. It also works to ensure that future vaccines will be accessible to all who need them. History In 1994, the Rockefeller Foundation convened an international meeting of AIDS researchers, vaccinologists, public health officials, and representatives from philanthropic organizations in Bellagio, Italy, to evaluate the challenges facing HIV/AIDS vaccine development and identify ways to jump-start research. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative was founded in 1996 by epidemiologist Seth Berkeley with the mission of accelerating the development and global distribution of preventative AIDS vaccines. In February 2023, Muhammad Ali Pate was appointed chairman of the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), which works to provide vaccines in low-income countries. Activities IAVI's scientific team, drawn largely from private industry, researches and develops AIDS vaccine candidates