AIDS Vaccine Shows Promise With Blacks, Asians

SAN FRANCISCO -- The company experimenting with an AIDS vaccine says it doesn't appear to protect most people from the disease -- but shows promise in protecting blacks and Asians.

California-based VaxGen Inc. announced that, in a three-year study, the vaccine only reduced the expected rate of HIV infection by about 4 percent in the high-risk people who volunteered to take the treatment.

But the expected infection rate for more than 300 black volunteers who received it was reduced by 78 percent. The rate was reduced by 67 percent for all nonwhite volunteers other than Hispanics.

"This is the first time we have specific numbers to suggest that a vaccine has prevented HIV infection in humans," said Phillip Berman, VaxGen's senior vice president of research and development and inventor of the vaccine. "We're not sure yet why certain groups have a better immune response, but these preliminary results indicate that a surface-protein vaccine that stimulates neutralizing antibodies correlates with prevention of infection."

An official of the U.N.'s AIDS agency said the experimental results are promising.

"The trial provides clear evidence that a vaccine can work," said Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS.

The study also found that the vaccine is safe -- the only side effects found were swelling and tenderness at the injection site.

"We intend to continue development of this vaccine through licensure, including additional studies as necessary, for use in groups in which the vaccine demonstrated a significant reduction in infection," said Lance K. Gordon, chief executive officer of VaxGen.

Meanwhile, investors are dumping shares VaxGen. After a delayed opening, were down 55 percent in midday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The company's experiment, which initially involved more than 5,400 volunteers from the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, has been criticized by some activists who say it could encourage risky behavior.

The full results of the study will be reviewed with the Food and Drug Administration in the coming months, and the findings will be presented at the Keystone Symposia on HIV at the end of March.

According to UNAIDS and the World Health Organization, an estimated 42 million people are living with HIV or AIDS worldwide, of which close to 30 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 5 million people were newly infected with the HIV virus in 2002.

VaxGen's Web Site
UNAIDS