AIDS vaccine on the horizon?

Speedo

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http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/globenewswire/159162.htm

NYON, Switzerland, Feb. 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mymetics (www.mymetics.com) Corporation (OTCBB:MYMX), announced today that on February 11, in Montreal, at the 16th world Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), Dr. Sylvain Fleury, Chief Scientific Officer of Mymetics, will present the results of a second series of preclinical trials that confirm the success of its preventive vaccine against HIV/AIDS. To date, these results are the most promising and advanced in the world. Further, they confirm a decisive path towards the prevention of transmitting HIV/AIDS. These results are of such significance that the European authorities have authorised a phase 1 clinical trial on humans.

It is widely recognized that certain people exist that are naturally resistant to the HIV/AIDS infection and in particular an identified group of prostitutes in Kenya and Cambodia. These identified prostitutes have been followed for the past 13 years and have provided recurrent blood samples. Despite their exposure to multiple HIV positive individuals, these women remain HIV negative. The explanation for this natural resistance is well known; these prostitutes are protected by antibodies present in their vaginal secretions.

The same resistance has been noted in males who have naturally occurring neutralizing antibodies in their rectal secretions.

Mymetics has concentrated their research towards replicating this natural protection and to develop similar antibodies qualified as mucosal secretions (IgA antibodies in the vaginal secretions) as compared to blood antibodies (IgG antibodies circulating in the blood).

Thus, the preventive vaccine formulation developed by Mymetics specifically induces the production of IgA antibodies, whereas all the other vaccine antidotes are aimed at the production of IgG antibodies in the blood. It is this fundamental difference in approach that explains the success of Mymetics' research compared to the announced failures of other research laboratories. As a result, Mymetics' vaccine stimulates a defence mechanism effectively blocking entry of the virus at the mucosal level, the gateway to entry and infection of humans.

The completion of the preclinical tests (on the monkeys) is achieved through a viral test (viral challenge) for which Mymetics chose the Chinese Macaqua Mulata species of monkey as they most closely resemble humans in virus transmission. One group is vaccinated and the other is used as reference group. Then, the two groups receive several doses of the virus, the goal being to establish that the vaccinated group resists the infection and that the non-vaccinated group becomes infected by the virus.

The results of the recent viral test, carried out in Beijing, could not have been more compelling: the vaccinated group either proved 100% resistant to the virus or remained at a non detectable level, whereas the non-vaccinated group were completely infected.

Moreover, the results obtained in July 2008 at the Institute of Animal Laboratory Science (ILAS) of the Chinese Academy of Science were verified by an independent laboratory, the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) of Beijing. The CDC employed a measurement technique five times more precise than that of the ILAS. The high degree of specificity and quality of these second series of results confirming the original observations is all the more impressive.

Based on these most promising results and the excellence of the research, the Belgian Health Ministry, acting on behalf of the European Authority, authorised expeditiously (16 days) the approval to commence Phase I Human Clinical Trials.

Too good to be true, or...?
 
Would be pretty amazing if true. I'm not very well versed in how these things play out but I imagine it would be a long time until this vaccine got out there and started doing some major good for people in places where it is needed, e.g. Africa.

How do you conduct human trials of a vaccine? Do they really intentionally infect people with full blown HIV after they receive the vaccination?
 
I wouldnt say a vaccine for AIDS is too good to be true. the way science progresses, I'd say in the next 100 years most of the worst diseases and disorders will be a thing of the past for first world countries.
 
I wouldnt say a vaccine for AIDS is too good to be true. the way science progresses, I'd say in the next 100 years most of the worst diseases and disorders will be a thing of the past for first world countries.
Instead, we'll get new ones! :D

This thread looks really weird next to the "smell of cash" thread. :lol:
 
I've been hearing about potentially promising cures for AIDS for the majority of my life and as of yet none have panned out. Not to be a party pooper but I'll believe it when I see it.
 
I'm sure it's only a matter of time before some group decries this as promoting promiscuity.
 
I think cancer research is more important than AIDS research tbh.
 
Would it prevent only from getting it or would it cure those already infected as well?
 
A few years too late.

/sigh
 
OK so I read this again. Can someone explain this to me:

Thus, the preventive vaccine formulation developed by Mymetics specifically induces the production of IgA antibodies, whereas all the other vaccine antidotes are aimed at the production of IgG antibodies in the blood. It is this fundamental difference in approach that explains the success of Mymetics' research compared to the announced failures of other research laboratories. As a result, Mymetics' vaccine stimulates a defence mechanism effectively blocking entry of the virus at the mucosal level, the gateway to entry and infection of humans.

Does that mean it wouldn't prevent someone from getting HIV via IV injection? Or through the blood via another means? I.e. does "mucosal" mean it only prevents transmission through mucus?
 
AIDS vaccine on the horizon?

Doesn’t the horizon always move away exactly as fast as you move toward it?
 
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