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HIV controllers are miraculous: they are people who have a natural immunity to HIV. Like the best comic book heroes controllers are born with this super power. They won the genetic lottery. Although controllers carry low levels of HIV, the virus is in a dormant state and they do not contract AIDS. Controllers are incredibly rare. Only 1 out of every 300 people who are living with HIV has this incredible power.
The essence of controllers’ immunity is the unique targeting capability contained within their immune systems. Like the finely tuned laser scope on a sniper rifle, the immune systems of controllers have the ability to target the biological markers on the HIV virus that are its achilles heel. When a controller’s immune system attacks these biological markers it forces the virus into a dormant state. Non controllers are armed with sniper rifles but they are missing this critical targeting ability.
Immunity Project is a team of scientists and entrepreneurs based in the San Francisco Bay Area who are developing a revolutionary vaccine platform using an entirely novel approach: to adopt the unique targeting capability inherent in controllers to give everyone that same immunity to the targeted disease. The first vaccine being developed using this platform is a vaccine for HIV. It is designed to turn everyone who receives it into an HIV controller. Immunity Project will offer the HIV vaccine to the world for free.
The essence of controllers’ immunity is the unique targeting capability contained within their immune systems. Like the finely tuned laser scope on a sniper rifle, the immune systems of controllers have the ability to target the biological markers on the HIV virus that are its achilles heel. When a controller’s immune system attacks these biological markers it forces the virus into a dormant state. Non controllers are armed with sniper rifles but they are missing this critical targeting ability.
Immunity Project is a team of scientists and entrepreneurs based in the San Francisco Bay Area who are developing a revolutionary vaccine platform using an entirely novel approach: to adopt the unique targeting capability inherent in controllers to give everyone that same immunity to the targeted disease. The first vaccine being developed using this platform is a vaccine for HIV. It is designed to turn everyone who receives it into an HIV controller. Immunity Project will offer the HIV vaccine to the world for free.
Overview
Location
United States, California, San Francisco
Employees
11-50
Total raised
$120K
Founded date
2013
Investors 1
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Funding Rounds 1
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Mentions in press and media 12
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| Mar 7, 2015 | µTorrent latest victim of crapware paranoia | reader comments 240 with 148 posters participating Share this story Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit BitTorrent Inc. has been accused of loading its popular µTorrent BitTorrent client with cryptocoin miners that install si... |
| Oct 22, 2014 | SOSVentures Takes On Y Combinator With A Pure Biotech Accelerator | International VC firm SOSVentures is capitalizing on the now buzz worthy biotech investment trend with the creation of IndieBio, the first accelerator to focus on just life sciences. Y Combinator raised a few eyebrows when it accepted five ... |
| Oct 20, 2014 | In Oakland, A Sign of Some Very High Times | Two years ago, this building in downtown Oakland was the part of the country’s first major cannabis growing educational institution, Oaksterdam University. After federal agents from the IRS and DEA raided the home of founder and marijuana l... |
| Sep 12, 2014 | Y Combinator Wants You (To Solve Big Problems) | In its last Demo Day, Y Combinator showcased startups that are seeking to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. As in, nuclear energy, health, and quantum computing–all things that are (arguably) more important than how to get food de... |
| Sep 4, 2014 | Elon Musk Is Right, Burning Man Is Silicon Valley | Burning man is both an intrinsic part of Silicon Valley and a DJ party in the desert. It’s a place where folks are free to run around in sparkles and spandex and leather and nothing, covered in dust. A place for rich people to party and nud... |
| Aug 19, 2014 | New At Y Combinator: Startups Solving Huge Problems! | During today’s Y Combinator Demo Day, there was a notable block among the startups presenting that didn’t give off the vibe we’re used to seeing at this kind of event in Silicon Valley: companies that are addressing real issues with big, bo... |
| Jun 17, 2014 | Vaccine publishes peer-reviewed article by The Immunity Project (YC W14) | Congratulations to the Immunity Project team! Over the weekend we learned that Vaccine published our article on eliciting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses from synthetic vectors containing one or two epitopes in a C57BL/6 mouse model using... |
| Mar 28, 2014 | These Are The Most Amazing Indians Working In US Tech | Reshma Saujani with one of her Girls Who Code students. Reshma Saujani Earlier this year, Satya Nadella replaced Steve Ballmer as Microsoft's CEO, underlining the rise of Indians and Indian-Americans in the U.S. tech world. Today, around 15... |
| Jan 23, 2014 | If the Immunity Project (YC W14) crowdfunds this synthetic AIDS vaccine, they’ll offer it free to everyone | What happens when you combine Microsoft e-Science machine learning, Harvard thinking, and a new medical device to tackle HIV-AIDS? The Immunity Project, a not-for-profit company developing the first ever synthetic HIV vaccine. The Immunity... |
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FAQ about Immunity Project
When was Immunity Project founded?
Immunity Project was founded in 2013.
How much funding has Immunity Project raised?
Immunity Project has raised $120K in total across 1 funding round.
What has the press written about Immunity Project?
Parsers VC has collected 12 articles mentioning Immunity Project, among them “µTorrent latest victim of crapware paranoia” (Mar 7, 2015) and “SOSVentures Takes On Y Combinator With A Pure Biotech Accelerator” (Oct 22, 2014).
Is Immunity Project still active?
Yes, Immunity Project is active; its latest activity on Parsers VC dates from Jul 21, 2020.