Broadly neutralizing antibodies and the search for an HIV-1 vaccine: the end of the beginning

In this Opinion article, the authors provide an overview of the recent work that has been carried out investigating broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies and their thoughts on the future prospects of the antibody-based prevention of HIV-1 infection. The field of HIV-1 vaccine research has seen a renaissance with the identification of antibodies that neutralize most circulating HIV-1 strains. An understanding of the structural mode of target recognition that these antibodies use and the immune pathways that lead to their development is emerging. This knowledge has provided fundamental insights into the pathways that elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies and provides a foundation for active and passive immunization strategies to prevent HIV-1 infection.