A trivalent recombinant Ad5 gag/pol/nef vaccine fails to protect rhesus macaques from infection or control virus replication after a limiting-dose heterologous SIV challenge

► We modeled the Step trial HIV vaccine regimen in rhesus macaques. ► We observed broad vaccine-induced T-cell responses in freshly isolated PBMC. ► We detected fewer vaccine-induced T-cell responses with cryopreserved cells. ► The vaccine regimen failed to protect against infection or control SIV replication. ► Our results in macaques are consistent with those observed in Step trial in humans.