Swedish HIV vacine trial yields 90% immunization rate

[scaR]

A Swedish HIV vaccine study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet (KI), Karolinska University Hospital and the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI) has produced surprisingly good results. Over 90 per cent of the subjects in the phase 1 trials developed an immune response to HIV.

"Never has such a good result been seen with a vaccine of this type," says Professor Eric Sandström, Chief Physician at Karolinska University Hospital.

A vaccine developed by SMI scientists has now undergone the first clinical study on healthy individuals in Sweden in order to examine its safety and different methods of administration. The vaccine is what is known as a genetic vaccine, which uses parts of the virus DNA to stimulate the rapid endogenous production of the proteins for which the injected DNA codes.

The trial subjects were vaccinated on three occasions with this vaccine using a needle-free method of injection. In order to enhance the effect, the researchers also gave the subjects a fourth dose of a vaccine in which parts of the HIV virus DNA had been integrated into another virus (vaccinia = the cowpox virus). This vaccine-based HIV vaccine is produced by the USA's National Institutes of Health and was donated for use in this Swedish study.

"Our vaccine is designed in such a way that it's able to protect against many of the circulating HIV types in Africa and the West," says Professor Britta Wahren at the SMI/KI.

Over 90 per cent of the trial subjects developed an immune response to HIV, and the vaccines have been tolerated well.

Scientists now hope to follow up the Swedish study with a larger phase 1 phase 2 study in Tanzania, planned to commence this autumn, in order to corroborate the Swedish results on African subjects and to help train Tanzanians to carry out parts of the study, including sophisticated laboratory examinations, on site.


[ source : http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=130&a=15986&l=en ]

[TaC_Up]

Thank god for this, now lets hope they turn that 90 into 100%.

[Xecutiona]

90% is good...coupled with sex education and safe sex practices, this could be a major step in the reduction of infections

[Hidden]

90% is good...coupled with sex education and safe sex practices, this could be a major step in the reduction of infections.

I highly doubt you will see anything of that sort in the near future. Most people are stupid, and regardless of they have a condom or not, are not going to use it. It's cool not too.

This looks , like it will protect against potential infection, but not cure those already infected.

42 Million live with the virus.
4 million new infections per year.
2-3 millions deaths per year.

Most are in developing countries, who for the better part cannot afford this vaccine, unless there is a co-ordinated worldwide effort to mass produce, and subsidize cost.
It isn't going to happen.

HIV/Aids is a hell of a population control pressure, and we are already overpopulating.

If by some twist of faith, everyone decides that they rather not make a truckload of cash on this , and help the suffering man, something else will just emerge to take its place.


This might prove to be more or a curse than blessing.

Lemmie go back to studying yes, i'll expand this post later.

[Xecutiona]

i think the amount of negtive outcry, along with generics would help this....the same thign happened with the AZT drugs...they are now being produced cheaply, and they are being distributed around the world... i think the best thiung to do is to stop the infection.

also, a vaccine would be used how many times? 3-4 per person maybe?(taking precednt from our current vaccination shots)..i believe that its much easier to vaccniate peole than produce AZT's for newly infectd, seeing that its a cocktail that has to be taken 3 times a day...

vaccination + AZT's for currently infected is a good route to follow right now, along with education(which is one of the most important factors)...you cant say that the drives are not working when there is no actual result if it works...for example, rising hiv figures doesnt mean that the drive is not working, as we dont know what the figure would be without the eduction in the fist place...)


while i understand yourpost about population control and something else taking its place,(as happened all throughout history) i believe that its human nature to fight whats in front of you.(smallpox, the plague, malaria etc)..and about the next super virus hat comes around, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

[trinithemc]

Saw an article in the papers of a technique that destroys the virus almost completely without harming any other cells...

i doubt HIV can be completely eradicated , but in the medium term a vaccine/'cure' could help tremendously . But i'm sure after awhile the virus will mutate to find away around it ,just like it has the drugs we currently use against it .

But before it does become immune to treatment , we could probably drive it to near extinction like Polio and smallpox , with continued education and condom use it won't get anywhere near as bad as it is now.


I hope nobody takes a trip down woodbrook or capri after they read this ....

[Hidden]

And then what? Make HIV vaccination manditory?

They are trying it with HPV and its not working, parents dont like the idea of they kiddies having sex.

Most of the spread, is by Male--> Female relations.

They have to come real good with this vaccine, the last one started infecting people during trials.

It'll be curious to get down to the genetics of this vaccine, taking into consideration the way the virus multiplies, and attacks the body.

[Xecutiona]

u see, while there would be these dumb parents not wanting the vaccine for their children, the greater good would be achieved by making it mandatory for all children to receive the vaccine.

the hpv is another stupid issue with parents...do they really want to use cancer as a consequence??