Successful test of experimental AIDS vaccine





Spanish researchers achieved a 90% immune response in the first phase of five. While highlighting that stimulates a strong response in most cases, claim that "it is too early to predict whether induced defenses prevent infection"

An AIDS vaccine in an experimental phase was successfully tested by Spanish scientists of the Centro Superior de Investigaciones Cientistas (CSIC), Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid and the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona.
The new vaccine remains effective for at least one year and achieved a 90% immune response, a characteristic that makes it safer than those used in previous tests, including the response of the most advanced testing is accomplished three times smaller.
Mariano Esteban is a Professor of CSIC and one of those responsible for the development of a vaccine against AIDS Spanish and postulated that "we must continue with their studies" because it is still at an experimental stage, according to the newspaper La Nacion.
Likewise, his colleague, Philip Garcia agreed these comments: "The results should be interpreted with caution as the treatment is only tested on 30 volunteers and stimulates a strong response but in most cases, it is early to predict whether induced defenses prevent infection. "
So the preliminary results proved that the new formula is capable of inducing defenses as preventive vaccine in HIV-uninfected individuals. "The trial took a long time and showed that most of the volunteers respond to the vaccine, the next step is to demonstrate that it can reduce the degree of infection in individuals affected by HIV", stated Steve.
The prototype was developed against subtype B human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the most prevalent in Europe. According to Stephen, the "MVA-B proved to be as powerful or better than the vaccines currently under study." For example, the Spanish prototype is more efficient than the one being tested in Thailand in more than 16 000 people in phase III and barely achieved an efficiency of 31% immunity.
In the following tests will begin in October for those who already got the necessary funding, "For Phase 2 trial, volunteers are needed and the cost is higher and if we move to phase 3 even greater."
The difference between the phases is in the objective pursued, the first is for safety, the second highest level of knowledge in the vaccine response of the participants and have more heterogeneous population data involved and the third "Efficiency is measured, ie the extent to protect individuals exposed to HIV infection," explains the professor.
The CSIC's research team began work on the development of MVA-B in 1999, and in 2008, the component was effective in mice and monkeys against the virus of simian immunodeficiency (SIV), which led to the realization testing in humans.