AIDS Vaccine Research A New Hope?
2009-10-07 10:11:21 Source: Southern Weekend (Guangzhou)
World Health Organization and UNAIDS September 24 issued a joint statement by the United States and Thailand jointly developed a new AIDS vaccine trial results "encouraging." "Although the immune effect is limited, but statistically shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in the importance of."

Claire Thomas (ClareThomas) pessimism about the prospects for an AIDS vaccine has seemed to face a challenge to judge. The "Nature - Medicine" magazine's senior editor in an interview with the authority of 25 AIDS experts, the impression that "an effective AIDS vaccine appears in the next 10 to 15 years will not be found" conclusion, this view was published in August this year, The "Nature - Medicine" magazine.

Challenge this view, is carried out in Thailand from a new type of AIDS vaccine clinical trials, new progress. September 24, the U.S. and Thai researchers in the Thai capital Bangkok, jointly announced a new test human vaccine can reduce the risk of HIV infection 31.2%. This is a study in Thailand, more than 16000 volunteers selected after six years of test results.

Like the night in the polished touch of sparkle, this result so that the world's AIDS researchers are excited. The Associated Press reported that this is the world's first confirmed that the immune effect of certain AIDS vaccine, which allow people to re-see the future of AIDS vaccine research of hope.

However, this wire spark can burn into a leading AIDS vaccine out of the darkness of the torch?

On the same day, the World Health Organization and UNAIDS issued a joint statement affirming the results of this testing "major significance", while calmly said, "just based on current test results, it could not approve the production of such vaccines," Human the fight against AIDS is still a long road.

The project, called RV144, by the U.S. military, the Thai Ministry of Public Health and other organizations jointly launched in 2003. Since September 2007 the U.S. Global AIDS vaccine Merck & Co., after the failure of human trials, the project become the world's only a million or more people involved in large-scale AIDS vaccine clinical trials.

The trial's research strategy based on two prior to the failure of AIDS vaccine research foundation. In 2003, dozens of scientists have developed two kinds of AIDS vaccines ALVAC and AIDSVAX respectively the early large-scale tests, the results of the two vaccines were not immune to play the role of the test failed.

Subsequently, the United States and Thailand, researchers combined two kinds of failure of the vaccine as a new research methods, using "first-free - Enhanced" (Prime-Boost) immunization strategy, so that the first strains of the vaccine ALVAC is responsible for stimulating the immune system to do better prepared to attack the AIDS virus, the second strain of the vaccine is to strengthen attack AIDSVAX efforts should be made responsible for enhancing immunity. RV144 trial officially began in October 2003 the test object is selected in Thailand, more than 16000 aged 18 to 30-year-old volunteers. Of their HIV test were negative, and its risk of infection with the average level of the general population rather. Among them, a group of volunteers were injected with the combination vaccine, another control group was injected with a placebo only.

The latest results showed that in 8197 vaccinated volunteers, 51 people were infected with HIV, while in the control group of 8198 people, 74 people infected, ie, vaccination group 31.2% lower risk of infection .

U.S. Army surgeon general Eric Peter J. Schoomaker said it was "the first AIDS vaccine candidate successful in reducing risk of HIV infection," examples.

World Health Organization and UNAIDS September 24 issued a joint statement by the United States and Thailand jointly developed a new AIDS vaccine trial results "encouraging." "Although the immune effect is limited, but statistically shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in the importance of." France's Sanofi - Pasteur, Michel De Wilde, vice president of research and development, said, "Since the discovery of HIV in 1983 Since this is the first time, the scientific community to obtain concrete evidence to the development of an AIDS vaccine is feasible. "participate in the study of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci (AnthonyFauci) cautiously stated that this is not" AIDS the end of vaccine research. " Including UNAIDS, WHO and other agencies have expressed "cautious optimism."

Reuters reported that the limitations of this vaccine also is that if people have been infected with HIV, even if vaccinated, the virus on the immune system damage as serious, which means that once the virus enters the body, the vaccine did not effect .

At present, a series of basic research for new vaccines have not yet been concluded. For example, for different HIV, for different groups of people, the new vaccine have the same immune effect? New vaccines and effective immune period is how long? New vaccines are shown only very limited immune effect?

It is reported that the specific circumstances of this trial will be held in Paris in October meeting on the vaccine to be further disclosed.

Thailand's progress in AIDS vaccine research, but also for China's research in this field has brought hope. It is understood that in March of this year by the State Food and Drug Administration formally approved, our self-developed AIDS vaccine has been officially entered in Guangxi, Phase Ⅱ clinical trial. (This article Source: Southern Weekly Author: Zhao Wei)