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Immune Response HIV Vaccines Have Potential

Posted on: Thursday, 15 February 2007, 15:01 CST

The Immune Response Corporation has reported preliminary phase II study results suggesting that both Remune and IR103, its first and second generation HIV vaccine candidates, are successful against HIV.

The vaccines were found to stabilize CD4+ T-cell counts compared with placebo in HIV patients who have not started antiretroviral therapy. The data are from a year-long safety and immunogenicity study expected to conclude in 2008.

CD4+ T-cells are key elements of the immune system and are specifically attacked and killed by the HIV virus. Unlike currently available drugs that attack the virus, Remune and IR103 are designed to stimulate the body's own immune system to better fight the virus by boosting T-cell activity.

The Immune Response Corporation said it the study was important because the stabilization of CD4+ counts mirrors what it observed in an earlier 28-week study, suggesting that this effect is reproducible and can be sustained for at least 36 weeks.

Immune Response believes its approach, which uses a whole-inactivated virus, may offer particular advantages in that it exposes the immune system to all of the core HIV proteins.

"These data lend credence to the hypothesis that exposing HIV infected patients to an inactivated form of HIV, together with an appropriate adjuvant, could stimulate HIV specific immune responses and thereby prevent or retard further decline in immune function," said Dr Peter Salk, a member of the company's Scientific Advisory Board.

"Should this approach to HIV treatment ultimately demonstrate clinical benefit it would be of great importance in the global fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic."

Source: Datamonitor

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