The team lead by Dr Mariano Esteban, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council’s Biotechnology National Centre, has been working on this method since 1999. His team is using an attenuated virus called the MVA-B, a variation of the Modified Ankara Vaccinia, which was previously used to eradicate smallpox and forms the base of other vaccines. The B refers to the HIV-B, the most common HIV subtype in Europe.
Dr Esteban’s team inserted the HIV genes Gag, Pol, Nef and Env in MVA-B’s genetic sequence. In 2008, they tried the resulting HIV nuke on mice and monkeys. It was a complete success.
Successful human test
The first human test, which was published in Vaccine and Journal of Virology, injected the vaccine in 24 of 30 HIV-free volunteers. Six volunteers were treated with a placebo vaccine — they didn’t experience any effect. But 90 per cent of the treated subjects developed a very strong immunological response against the HIV virus. 85 per cent kept this reaction for at least one year, which is really good news.
According to the results, there were no significant secondary effects in any of the patiences, which was one of the major objectives of to be tested in this clinical trial.
[T] he treatment has only been tested on 30 volunteers and, while [the vaccine]provokes a powerful response in most of the cases, it’s still to soon if the resulting defence would be effective against an actual [HIV]infection.
The team will now start another phase I trial, injecting the vaccine in HIV-infected people. The objective of this trial is to test the therapeutical effect of the vaccine in these patients.
According to Dr Esteban, “in principle, the immunological profile of MVA-B satisfies the requirements for a promising vaccine against the HIV, like the creation of antibodies and the activation of key cells in the defence against the virus.” Sadly, it is still far away from commercialisation: they need to test this on phase II and III trials, injecting vaccinated volunteers with the actual HIV virus on a larger scale.
Hopefully, one day this one will nail that HIV bastard down. [CSIC]
TSH
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 11:01 AMGetting people for Phase II and III trials is going to be … kinda hard. Injected with HIV? Yeah… how about no.
Still, this is great news and it would be great if it eventually produces a cure for those afflicted with HIV and AIDS.
aids researcher
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 1:10 PMpeople aren’t injected with aids to test the vaccine efficacy.
high risk individuals that are highly exposed to possibility of infection either receive a placebo or the test vaccine. the difference in rate of infection between immunized and placebo groups indicates the effect of the vaccine.
this is very encouraging…. but many questions need to be asked. i do hope it brings us closer to a global vaccine for hiv/aids.
Aravinda
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:15 PMActually no…its a phase I trial, essentially to assess safety in humans. The immune response to HIV was likely measured in vivo rather than in the subjects.
The issue here is that the HIV virus secretes itself away in the hidden corners of your immune system. Modern Highly Active AntiRetroVirals also display excellent in vivo activity against the HIV virus but the moment you stop taking them the virus returns. For this reason, I would be taking these (albeitly exciting) results with a grain of salt.
Peter
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:15 PM“According to the results, there were no significant secondary effects in any of the patiences,”
The patiences, Precious. We hates them!
Looks promising. Looking forward to the results of a wider test pool.
DARWIN
Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 3:42 AMThe research focus is on type B HIV which is more prevalent in Europe. What about research of type A HIV which prevalent in Sub Saharan Africa, why not developing the initial phases of the two sets of HIVs at the same time. My fear is that Sub Saharan Africa will be left behind with this lifeline news and eventually forgotten to get needed attention. Would you please set the ball rolling for an MVA-A.This would enable Sub Saharan Africa to move at the same pace with Europe in addressing this menace, HIV- AIDS.The news looks very promising to me and brings hope to man kind.