New type of genetic HIV vaccine stimulates high-level, durable immune responses pre-clinically
Researcher: Philip Johnson, Columbus Children's Hospital
Contact: Katie Pakel, Columbus Children's Hospital: 614-722-4595
Embargo: Saturday, May 13, 9 am
Breaking research from Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, on a new type of genetic vaccine for AIDS which shows positive effects after immunization was presented at the 2000 Pediatric Academic Societies and American Academy of Pediatrics Joint Meeting on Saturday, May 13. Philip Johnson, M.D., developer of the vaccine and executive director of Columbus Children's Hospital Research Institute presented the findings.
The research shows that the new vaccine, based on an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector system, stimulates high-level, durable immune responses after a single injection. According to Dr. Johnson, the lower-cost, single-dose vaccine could be vital in helping prevent AIDS in developing countries, as most immunizations in rural settings are difficult and costly.
"When we began research eight years ago, our goals were twofold: to make the AAV virus work as a gene delivery vehicle and to find a way to mass produce the virus so that a vaccine would be commercially viable and affordable," explained Dr. Johnson. "We feel we have achieved our goals, and we anticipate testing on humans as early as 2001."
The vaccine is constructed by genetically engineering the AAV vector so that it carries HIV genes directly to cells. When the AAV vector enters the cells, the HIV genes are "turned on," proteins are produced and the immune system vigorously responds. The effects after immunization are similar to responses seen in monkeys infected with virulent SIV, a close cousin of HIV, which is the virus that causes AIDS in humans.
"It is important to note that the vaccine will not cause one to become infected with HIV or AIDS, as the vector cannot replicate itself and cause disease," said Johnson.
Columbus Children's Hospital is collaborating with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), an organization that funds research and development to put promising HIV vaccines on the fast track and Targeted Genetics, a biotechnology company based in Seattle that will further develop and manufacture the vaccine for human use. All three groups are committed to making the vaccine affordable and accessible.
Under terms of private/public corporation, IAVI will fund the vaccine's development, pre-clinical and Phase I studies and will ensure the vaccine is available and affordable to anyone in the world who needs it, including those in third-world countries.
Children's Hospital of Columbus, Ohio, a 108-year-old institution devoted to the health of children, is among the top 10 free-standing children's hospitals in the country that receives NIH funding for research. Physicians and scientists at Children's are actively engaged in basic, applied, and patient-oriented research in a wide range of disciplines. In serving central Ohio and surrounding states, Children's Hospital has more than 400,000 patient visits a year, from birth through age 21. Children's offers specialty programs and services, including more than 18 support groups and 300 public education classes. As a tertiary teaching hospital affiliated with The Ohio State University, Children's also serves as the training ground for hundreds of pediatric healthcare providers each year.
More information on Children's Hospital of Columbus is available by calling (614) 722-KIDS (5437) or through the hospital's Web site at http://www.childrenscolumbus.org.
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