Vaccine

A method for stabilizing or inhibiting the increase in the viral load in a subject infected with HIV-1 comprising

• 1) selecting a subject infected with HIV-1;
• and
• 2) administering to the subject an immunogenic composition comprising
• a. two or more HIV-1 antigens selected from the group consisting of Nef, Gag, and Pol;
• b. an adjuvant that induces a Th1 immune response;
• and
• c. a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,
• wherein after administration the viral load of the subject remains stable or decreases for at least four months as compared to before administration.

A method for the prevention of the onset of clinical HIV disease in a subject infected with HIV-1 comprising

• 1) selecting a subject infected with HIV-1;
• and
• 2) administering to the subject an immunogenic composition comprising
• a. two or more HIV-1 antigens selected from the group consisting of Nef, Gag, and Pol;
• b. an adjuvant that induces a Th1 immune response;
• and
• c. a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,
• wherein the viral load of the subject remains below 100,000 copies/ml for at least four months after administration.

A method for the prevention of the progression of HIV disease in a HIV-1 infected subject comprising

• 1) selecting a subject infected with HIV-1;
• and
• 2) administering to the subject an immunogenic composition comprising
• a. two or more HIV-1 antigens selected from the group consisting of Nef, Gag, and Pol;
• b. an adjuvant that induces a Th1 immune response;
• and
• c. a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,
• wherein the viral load of the subject remains stable or decreases after administration of the immunogenic composition.

A method for inducing an immune response in a subject infected with HIV-1 comprising

• 1) selecting a subject infected with HIV-1;
• and
• 2) administering to the subject an immunogenic composition comprising
• a. two or more HIV-1 antigens selected from the group consisting of Nef, Gag, and Pol;
• b. an adjuvant that induces a Th1 immune response;
• and
• c. a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
• wherein after the administration of step 2), a higher percentage of CD4+ T cells from the subject
• i) show specific recognition of at least one polypeptide of the immunogenic composition is increased as compared to before the administration, or
• ii) express at least one, two or three activation markers selected from the group consisting of CD40L, IL-2, TNFα and IFNγ as compared to before administration.