Italian AIDS Vaccine Passes First Phase of Tests

On July 5, researchers at Italy's National Health Institute issued a statement saying recently completed Phase I trials of an AIDS vaccine found it was safe and capable of stimulating the immune systems of the people tested. The vaccine targets TAT, a protein that allows HIV to multiply, which constitutes a different approach from other AIDS vaccines. Other vaccines have targeted proteins external to HIV in an effort to produce antibodies to block the virus from entering the cells, according to the research team's statement.

The tests were carried out in clinics in Rome and Milan from Nov. 2003 to Nov. 2004, and involved 27 HIV-positive volunteers and 20 HIV-negative people. Each volunteer received five vaccinations over five months.

The Institute said it is looking for €50 million (US$59.41 million) to fund the second round of trials. The trials would be conducted in Italy and Africa on a much larger group of people. Barbara Ensoli, leader of the research team, said they hoped to have final results by 2010.

Back to other news for July 11, 2005