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GeoVax's Trial Finds HIV Drug Safe

Posted on: Monday, 5 November 2007, 12:00 CST

Biotechnology company GeoVax Labs has reported safety and immunogenicity data from its full-dose HIV/AIDS vaccine human trial which began in September 2006. This full-dose trial is the second in a series of four Phase I human trials designed to test the safety and immunogenicity of the GeoVax HIV/AIDS vaccines.

A total of 36 participants are involved in this study of which 30 received vaccine and six received placebo, this trial protocol included vaccination with two full-doses of GeoVax's DNA vaccine to prime the immune response followed by two full- doses of GeoVax's MVA vaccine to boost the immune response. DNA and MVA vaccines express over 50% of the AIDS virus (HIV-1) protein components in order to stimulate a broad anti-HIV immune response. The vaccines cannot cause AIDS because they do not include complete virus.

Both DNA and MVA vaccines continue to demonstrate that they are quite safe and immunogenic following the delivery of the four full-doses (two of each vaccine) used in the trial's protocol. The full-dose regimen of vaccines continues to be well tolerated without any type of reaction, mild or systemic, in the majority of participants. CD4 T-cell and CD8 T-cell responses are very evident both in the 1/10th dose and full-dose vaccine recipients.

Dr Harriet Robinson, GeoVax chief scientific advisor, said: "These results extend the earlier positive results for both our full and 1/10th dose groups to a larger number of volunteers. They are extremely encouraging and provide a strong foundation for proceeding with Phase II human testing."

Source: Datamonitor

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