AIDS Vaccine Week articles from November 2008

AIDS Vaccine Week archives from November 2008

Data on DNA vaccines discussed by researchers at University of Colorado.
November 3, 2008... "A DNA vaccine encoding sequence-conserved human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-derived cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes from multiple HIV-1 gene products (designated EP HIV-1090) was evaluated in a placebo-controlled, dose...

Findings from P.C. Matthews and co-authors provide new insights into HIV/AIDS.(Report)
November 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Virology, "Much uncertainty still exists over what T-cell responses need to be induced by an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine. Previous studies have hypothesized that...

Reports from University of Ferrara add new data to research in HIV/AIDS.
November 3, 2008... According to recent research from Ferrara, Italy, "As HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells play a key role during acute and chronic HIV-1 infection in humans, the ability of potential anti-HIV vaccines to elicit strong, broad T cell responses is...

Research findings from INSERM update understanding of HIV/AIDS.
November 3, 2008... "Heterosexual contact is the primary mode of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 (HIV-1) transmission worldwide. The chemokine receptor CCR5 is the major coreceptor that is associated with the mucosal transmission of R5-tropic HIV-1...

Research from W. Jennes and co-researchers provides new data on HIV/AIDS.
November 3, 2008... According to recent research from Antwerp, Belgium, "Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection results in slower CD4(+) T-cell decline, lower plasma viral load levels, and hence slower progression of the disease than does HIV-1...

Researchers from University of Auckland report details of new studies and findings in the area of immunodeficiency.
November 3, 2008... According to a study from Auckland, New Zealand, "Recombination is a relatively common phenomenon in retroviruses. We investigated recombination in Feline Immunodeficiency Virus from naturally-infected New Zealand domestic cats (Felis catus) by...

Study data from P.T.L. Vanwijk and co-authors update knowledge of life sciences.
November 3, 2008... "Throughout 2003-2005, all blood-exposure incidents registered by an expert counseling center in The Netherlands accessible by telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, were analyzed to assess quality improvement in the center's management of...

New data from B.C. Dejong et al illuminate research in tuberculosis.
November 3, 2008... According to a study from Banjul, Gambia, "There is considerable variability in the outcome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We hypothesized that Mycobacterium africanum was less likely than M. tuberculosis to transmit and progress to...

Research from McMaster University in the area of vaccines published.
November 3, 2008... "Biomaterials are promising candidate adjuvants to enhance vaccine efficacy. Through adjuvant design, we can broaden the use of vaccines to diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and cancer," scientists in Hamilton, Canada report (see also Vaccines)....

New immunization research from New York University described.
November 3, 2008... Researchers detail in 'Impaired immunity to recall antigens and neoantigens in severely immunocompromised children and adolescents during the first year of effective highly active antiretroviral therapy,' new data in immunization. According to...

GeoVax's DNA and MVA Vaccines Shipped to HIV Vaccine Trials Network for Use in the Upcoming Phase 2a Trial.
November 3, 2008... GeoVax Labs, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: GOVX) , an Atlanta based biotechnology company, developing human vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents, announced it has shipped both DNA and MVA...

Preliminary Phase I Safety Data for Preventive HIV Vaccine Delivered by Ichor's TriGrid to be Presented at AIDS Conference.
November 3, 2008... Ichor Medical Systems, whose advanced TriGrid(TM) Delivery System is being tested worldwide for its ability to enhance delivery of DNA drugs and vaccines, announced that preliminary safety and tolerability data for a Phase I preventive HIV...

Silencing a protein could kill T-Cells, reverse leukemia.
November 3, 2008... Blocking the signals from a protein that activates cells in the immune system could help kill cells that cause a rare form of blood cancer, according to physicists and oncologists who combined computer modeling and molecular biology in their...

Progenics Pharmaceuticals and Ono Pharmaceutical Announce Agreement to Develop and Commercialize RELISTOR in Japan.
November 3, 2008... Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGNX) and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan (OSE-TYO: 4528) announced an exclusive license agreement under which Ono has acquired the rights to RELISTOR(R) (methylnaltrexone bromide) in Japan,...

Findings from M.L. Grijsen and co-researchers advance knowledge in HIV/AIDS co-infection.
November 10, 2008... In this recently published article, scientists in Kilifi, Kenya conducted a study "To demonstrate the value of routine, basic sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening at enrolment into an HIV-1 vaccine feasibility cohort study and to...

Reports from Merck & Company, Inc. highlight recent research in gene therapy.
November 10, 2008... Fresh data on gene therapy are presented in the report 'Enhanced in vivo transgene expression and immunogenicity from plasmid vectors following electrostimulation in rodents and primates.' According to a study from the United States, "Safe and...

New HIV/AIDS immunology study results reported from Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control.
November 10, 2008... Scientists discuss in 'Cross-clade immune responses to Gag p24 in patients infected with different HIV-1 subtypes and correlation with HLA class I and II alleles' new findings in HIV/AIDS. "Individuals infected with different subtypes of HIV-1...

Data on HIV/AIDS vaccines described by researchers at Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology.(Clinical report)
November 10, 2008... A new study, 'Long-term increase of CD4+ central memory cells in HIV-1-infected individuals by therapeutic HIV-1 rgp160 immunization,' is now available. "To evaluate functional potential and phenotypic markers in HIV-1-infected patients...

Data on HIV/AIDS vaccines published by researchers at Karolinska Institut.(Report)
November 10, 2008... New investigation results, 'Intranasal immunization of young mice with a multigene HIV-1 vaccine in combination with the N3 adjuvant induces mucosal and systemic immune responses,' are detailed in a study published in Vaccine. According to...

Data on HIV/AIDS vaccines reported by investigators at Research Institute for Genetic and Human Therapy.
November 10, 2008... Scientists discuss in 'IL-15 as memory T-cell adjuvant for topical HIV-1 DermaVir vaccine' new findings in HIV/AIDS. "IL-7 and IL-15 are key cytokines involved in the generation and maintenance of memory CD8+ T-cells. We evaluated these...

New findings reported from Linkoping University, Department of Molecular Virology describe advances in HIV/AIDS vaccines.
November 10, 2008... A report, 'Safety and immunogenicity, after nasal application of HIV-1 DNA gagp37 plasmid vaccine in young mice,' is newly published data in Vaccine. "There is a need for safe and potent adjuvants capable of delivering vaccine candidates over...

Research on HIV/AIDS vaccines reported by scientists at Karolinska Institute.(Report)
November 10, 2008... Research findings, 'Enhancement of epitope-specific cellular immune responses by immunization with HIV-1 peptides genetically conjugated to the B-subunit of recombinant cholera toxin,' are discussed in a new report. According to recent research...

Researchers from Institute of Microbiology detail findings in HIV/AIDS vaccines.(Report)
November 10, 2008... New research, 'Evaluation of recombinant Onchocerca volvulus activation associated protein-1 (ASP-1) as a potent Th1-biased adjuvant with a panel of protein or peptide-based antigens and commercial inactivated vaccines,' is the subject of a...

Scientists at Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology report research in HIV/AIDS vaccines.(Report)
November 10, 2008... New research, 'HIV-1 reverse transcriptase artificially targeted for proteasomal degradation induces a mixed Th1/Th2-type immune response,' is the subject of a report. "Targeting of a DNA vaccine encoded protein for degradation via the...

Scientists at Wyeth publish research in HIV/AIDS vaccines.
November 10, 2008... A report, 'Modifying the HIV-1 env gp160 gene to improve pDNA vaccine-elicited cell-mediated immune responses,' is newly published data in Vaccine. "Plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccines are effective at eliciting immune responses in a wide variety of...

Studies in the area of HIV/AIDS vaccines reported from Dartmouth University, Department of Microbiology & Immunology.
November 10, 2008... A report, 'Induction of HIV-1 MPR(649-684)-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in caprine colostrum using a peptide-based vaccine,' is newly published data in Vaccine. "Induction of antigen-specific antibodies against HIV-1 in colostrum and milk...

Scientists at Center for Cancer Research detail research in immunization.
November 10, 2008... Fresh data on immunization are presented in the report 'Increased immune responses in rhesus macaques by DNA vaccination combined with electroporation.' According to a study from the United States, "We used optimized DNA expression vectors to...

New Phase III Study in Previously Untreated HIV Patients Showed Merck's ISENTRESS raltegravir Reduced HIV Viral Load to Undetectable Levels, Comparable to Efavirenz, When Taken in Combination with Other Medicines.
November 10, 2008... In a new Phase III study that compared Merck & Co., Inc.'s HIV integrase inhibitor ISENTRESS[R] (raltegravir) to efavirenz [one of the leading antiretrovirals prescribed for previously untreated (treatment-naive) HIV-infected patients],...

Progenics Reports Positive Interim Phase 2 Results for Two Dosage Forms of Novel HIV Therapy PRO 140.(Financial report)(Clinical report)
November 10, 2008... Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGNX) announced positive interim results from two separate phase 2 clinical trials of PRO 140 for the treatment of HIV infection. Both intravenous and subcutaneous forms of PRO 140, a novel viral-entry...

UCLA develops safer, more effective TB vaccine for HIV-positive people.
November 10, 2008... UCLA scientists engineered a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine specifically designed for HIV-positive people that was shown to be safer and more potent than the current TB vaccine in preclinical trials (see also University of California - Los...

How HIV vaccine might have increased odds of infection.
November 17, 2008... In September 2007, a phase II HIV-1 vaccine trial was abruptly halted when researchers found that the vaccine may have promoted, rather than prevented, HIV infection. A new study by a team of researchers at the Montpellier Institute of...

Research reports on HIV/AIDS from University of North Carolina provide new insights.
November 17, 2008... "The aims of this study were to estimate household demand in the general population of Thailand for a (hypothetical) preventive HIV vaccine; to determine whether spouses in the same household would purchase the same number of vaccines for...

Studies from A. Clark and co-researchers update current data on HIV/AIDS.(Survey)
November 17, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal AIDS Patient Care and Stds, "We Sought to determine the prevalence of HIV conspiracy beliefs in patients with HIV and how those beliefs correlate with access and adherence to HIV care and...

Research from M.J. Mimiaga and co-researchers in the area of HIV/AIDS co-infection published.(Survey)
November 17, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Polysubstance use has been posited to be a significant contributor to excess burden of HIV disease among men who have sex with men (MSM). The current Study investigated polysubstance use and...

Research reports on HIV/AIDS co-infection from A. Weinberg and colleagues provide new insights.(Report)
November 17, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, "The aim of this study was to optimize the ability to detect cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specfic cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in human immunodeficiency virus...

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Swiss Vaccine Research Institute and Institut Genetique Moleculaire Montpellier: Study Sheds Light on the Mechanisms of Increased Risk of HIV Infection in the Step HIV Vaccine Trial.
November 17, 2008... A study published online in The Journal of Experimental Medicine sheds light on the potential mechanisms responsible for the increased incidence of HIV infection that was observed in the failed STEP HIV vaccine trial in 2007. Through the...

Bavarian Nordic Reports Successful Safety Data From Phase II Study With IMVAMUNE.(Report)
November 17, 2008... Bavarian Nordic has completed a clinical safety report from a large Phase II study with IMVAMUNE(R) in HIV infected subjects that confirms the excellent safety profile of IMVAMUNE(R). Within the next few days the safety report of this...

Progenics Selects Small-Molecule Hepatitis C Drug Candidate for Clinical Development.
November 17, 2008... Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGNX) announced the selection of a proprietary small-molecule drug candidate, designated PRO 206, for clinical development as a treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Pre-clinical results...

New research on cancer vaccines from National Cancer Institute summarized.
November 24, 2008... "Adaptive CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses have been associated with control of human immunodeficiency virus/simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV/SIV) replication. Here, we have designed a study with Indian rhesus macaques to more directly...

Researchers' work from World Health Organization focuses on HIV/AIDS.
November 24, 2008... "Cross-neutralization between rabies virus (RABV) and two European bat lyssaviruses (EBLV-1 and -2) was analysed using lentiviral pseudotypes as antigen vectors. Glycoprotein (G-protein) cDNA from RABV challenge virus standard-11 (CVS-11) and...

Research from University of Paris in hepatitis a vaccines provides new insights.
November 24, 2008... A new study, 'Immunological efficacy of a three-dose schedule of hepatitis A vaccine in HIV-infected adults: HEPAVAC study,' is now available. According to recent research from Paris, France, "The immunogenicity of vaccines, including vaccine...

Scientists at Peking Union Medical College, Medical College describe research in human papillomavirus vaccines.
November 24, 2008... Data detailed in 'Human papillomavirus type-distribution in condylomata acuminata of mainland China: a meta-analysis' have been presented. "The aim of this work was to study the human papillomavirus (HPV) type-distribution in condylomata...

T cell-based HIV vaccine candidate demonstrates positive results.
November 24, 2008... The question of whether or not to continue to pursue the development of T-cell-based HIV-1 vaccines has been a source of controversy following last year's widely publicized failure of the field's most promising candidate, a vaccine developed by...

Results of landmark study of HIV vaccine published in the Lancet.(Clinical report)
November 24, 2008... Results from the Step study, a test-of-concept efficacy study of a Merck & Co., Inc. HIV vaccine candidate, were published online today in two papers in The Lancet. These analyses of the Step study are being conducted, presented and published...

GeoVax Labs, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results and Provides Operational Update.(Financial report)
November 24, 2008... GeoVax Labs, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: GOVX) ("GeoVax" or "the Company"), a biopharmaceutical firm developing human vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents, announced its third quarter 2008...

Profectus BioSciences Executes an Assignment and License Agreement with Wyeth for Vaccines against HIV, HCV, HPV and HSV.
November 24, 2008... Profectus BioSciences, Inc. (Profectus) announced that it has executed an Assignment and License Agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals that provides Profectus therapeutic/prophylactic vaccine programs for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),...

New York City Mayor Bloomberg and Other Honorees Celebrate Opening of the First Laboratory Solely Devoted to the Development of an AIDS Vaccine.
November 24, 2008... The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative -0- *T WHAT: The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) opens a Vaccine Design and Development Laboratory in New York City, the only facility in the world exclusively devoted to the...

New York City's Mayor Bloomberg and Other Honorees Herald the Opening of the Only Laboratory Devoted Solely to AIDS Vaccine Design and Development.(Company overview)
November 24, 2008... Today New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg honored the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new AIDS Vaccine Design and Development Laboratory--a 36,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility...

New hope for HIV treatment: Cells exhausted from fighting HIV infection can be revitalized.
November 24, 2008... Researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of California, San Francisco, have revealed new hope for HIV treatment with the discovery of a way to 'rescue' immune cells that are exhausted from fighting off HIV infection (see also...