Spanish scientists trial promising HIV vaccine

[Sabre]

GizMag

Researchers at the Spanish Superior Scientific Research Council (CSIC) have successfully completed Phase I human clinical trials of a HIV vaccine that came out with top marks after 90% of volunteers developed an immunological response against the virus. The MVA-B vaccine draws on the natural capabilities of the human immune system and "has proven to be as powerful as any other vaccine currently being studied, or even more", says Mariano Esteban, head researcher from CSIC's National Biotech Centre.

The MVA-B vaccine first showed promising signs back in 2008 when clinical trials involving mice and macaque monkeys demonstrated a very high efficiency against Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The recent human trials involved 30 healthy volunteers, where 24 were treated with MVA-B, while the other 6 were treated with a placebo, carried out over a 48 week period.

Awesome news on the fight against AIDS.

[complacent]

i'm convinced that magic johnson is going to outlast us all. this is good stuff.

[Sabre]

^^ haha, that would be interesting. I know I'm in the low-risk category, but I would still get this vaccine after they had done some serious testing on it.

[PGT]

pre-emptive?

[Sabre]

Holy crap, even more good news!
Clinical trial uncovers potential ‘functional cure’ for HIV/AIDS

Data from a clinical trial involving UCLA researchers suggest that a new therapy may potentially serve as a “functional cure” for HIV/AIDS.

The therapy, called SB-728-T, involves the modification of both copies of a patient’s CCR5 gene, which encodes the major co-receptor used by HIV to infect immune system cells.

In the Sangamo BioSciences’ phase 1 trial, SB-728-T was given to HIV patients who were on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) but were considered to be “non-responders” — that is, their CD4+ T-cell levels, a key measure of immune system health, remained low. The patients’ HAART therapy was interrupted when they received the SB-728-T therapy.

The researchers found a statistically significant relationship between the suppression of HIV viral load and the level of circulating CD4+ T-cells that had undergone the CCR5 gene modification in patients treated with SB-728-T.

...

The modification of the CCR5 gene that generates SB-728-T is accomplished using a zinc finger nuclease, or ZFN. ZFN modification disrupts the expression of this key co-receptor for HIV entry and renders cells resistant to HIV infection. The approach is based on the observation that a naturally occurring mutation in the CCR5 gene, CCR5 delta-32, provides protection from HIV infection.

Individuals who have the delta-32 mutation in both copies of the CCR5 gene are generally not susceptible to the most common strain of HIV. Those with only one copy of the mutation are identified as “elite controllers” because of their immune systems’ ability to resist the progression of HIV without the need for HAART.

Other findings described by the scientists included:

• The viral load of one SB-728-T-treated subject decreased to undetectable levels during a treatment interruption. This subject was found to be an “elite controller.”
  Unprecedented improvements in overall CD4+ T-cell counts and the ration of CD4+ to CD8+ cells, as well as engraftment, expansion, trafficking and persistence of the ZFN-modified cells.
  SB-728-T treatment continues to be safe and well tolerated.

“The data obtained in our treatment-interruption studies are very exciting and represent significant progress toward a ‘functional cure’ for HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Carl June, director of translational research at the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, one of the study sites. “The statistically significant relationship between estimated modification of both copies of the CCR5 gene and viral load during the treatment interruption suggests that the next step is to increase the frequency of the modified cells in HIV-infected patients with the ultimate hope that, if we do, we will achieve a ‘functional cure’ and eliminate the need for continued HAART.”

No other drug has been shown to have the same dramatic effect on the immune system in this setting, said Dr. Dale Ando, Sangamo’s chief medical officer and vice president of therapeutic development.

[Mr Kleen]

Great news! Now maybe we can move on to the important stuff, like male pattern baldness.

[Sabre]

[zaxrex]

What problem?

[Sabre]

[Mr Kleen]

What problem?

true, it would be a shame to cover up this handsome skull with hair.