AIDSVAX

AIDSVAX is a vaccine that was developed by VaxGen to prevent HIV infection. It was the first vaccine to be tested in a Phase III clinical trial, the final stage before a product can be approved for public use. However, the vaccine did not show sufficient efficacy in preventing HIV infection and is no longer being developed.

History

AIDSVAX was developed by VaxGen, a biopharmaceutical company based in Brisbane, California. The vaccine was designed to stimulate an immune response to the gp120 protein, a component of the HIV virus. The vaccine was tested in a Phase III clinical trial, which is the final stage of testing before a product can be approved for public use. However, the trial results, announced in 2003, showed that the vaccine did not significantly reduce the rate of HIV infection among the trial participants.

Clinical Trials

The Phase III clinical trial of AIDSVAX involved nearly 8,000 participants and was conducted in North America, the Netherlands, and Puerto Rico. The trial participants were men who have sex with men and women at high risk for HIV infection. The trial results showed that the vaccine did not significantly reduce the rate of HIV infection among the trial participants. The vaccine was found to be safe, but it did not show sufficient efficacy in preventing HIV infection.

Future Development

After the results of the Phase III trial were announced, VaxGen stopped development of AIDSVAX. However, the company has continued to work on other HIV vaccine candidates. In 2004, VaxGen announced a partnership with the National Institutes of Health to develop a new HIV vaccine based on a different component of the virus.

See Also

• HIV vaccine
• VaxGen
• Clinical trial
• HIV/AIDS

References

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