Prototype HIV-1 vaccine data

The company reported on one individual enrolled in a 30-patient Phase I trial of its prototype vaccine, which contains a single component synthetic antigen. The company also gave data from animal studies of its multicomponent vaccine, showing the ability to neutralize diverse strains of the HIV virus found in people, rather than laboratory strains.

At the NIH Conference on Advances in AIDS Vaccine Development in Alexandria, Va., the lowest dose of the prototype, 20 micrograms in alum, given three times, raised antibodies in the volunteer that neutralized the subtype B isolate. The data should be reported by the beginning of 1994, said Wayne Koff, vice president for vaccine research and development. At that time, the company plans also to start trials of its multicomponent, branched peptide immunogen vaccine, which was able to raise neutralizing antibodies in animals to field isolates of the various subtypes. Isolates tested included those from Djibouti, North America, Thailand, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Brazil. ...