How the AIDS Vaccine Could Work

While an estimated 30 HIV vaccines are being tested around the world, one trial in Canada promises to be unique. After decades of research, development, and high hopes, scientists at the University of Western Ontario are ready to test a new type of vaccine known as SAV001 that they hope will prevent HIV infections.

What makes this trial different, said lead researcher Chil-Yong Kang, Ph.D., is that this is the first preventive vaccine to use a “killed whole” HIV-1 virus to activate a person’s immune system. This version of the virus, however, would be genetically altered so it would not be able to cause HIV infection. For insurance, the virus is also inactivated by using chemicals and radiation.

Kang said this process has not been used before because it was unknown whether a safer version of the virus could be made in large quantities. However, a similar approach has been employed for polio, flu, hepatitis A, and rabies vaccines.

The first 40 people began vaccination trials to make sure SAV001 was not toxic. The next phase will occur among 600 HIV-negative people with have a high risk of infection. The last phase will be a three-year study of 6,000 volunteers, half of whom will receive a placebo.

http://www.hivplusmag.com/latinos-and-hiv/story.asp?id=2264&categoryid=1&issue=87