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Moderna has launched a trial of a HIV vaccine which uses the same breakthrough mRNA technology harnessed for its Covid jab.
The US pharmaceutical giant has recruited 56 volunteers who do not have HIV to test its jab.
The first participants were dosed up at George Washington University last month, officials revealed.
It is testing two different jabs that are expected to give instructions to the body's cells to produce a protein that is found on the surface of HIV particles.
This should train the body's immune system to recognise that protein and develop neutralising antibodies that protect against a range of different HIV strains.
Professor David Diemert, an immunologist at the university, said: 'The Covid pandemic really demonstrated the success of mRNA vaccines and so the path from discussing its application for HIV to a Phase I clinical trial happened at an accelerated pace.
'With these new mRNA vaccines, we're on the cutting edge of innovative vaccine strategies for HIV.'
Moderna is also developing an mRNA vaccine for seasonal flu, as well as a combined annual Covid and flu booster jab.
Moderna has recruited 56 Americans aged 18 to 50 who do not have HIV to test its vaccine, with the first volunteers receiving the injection at George Washington University last month. The HIV jab uses the same mRNA technology used it the pharmaceutical giant's Covid injection
More than 100,000 Britons and 1.2million Americans are living with HIV.
There is currently no cure for the disease, but there are
