News on the progress of a new trial may give new hope to patients with HIV who are dependent on anti-HIV drugs. The AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta (ARCA) has received approval to begin enrollment of the first therapeutic trial ever conducted using a promising HIV vaccine candidate from Atlanta-based, GeoVax Inc, a biotechnology company that creates, develops and tests innovative HIV/AIDS vaccines. Although the GeoVax vaccines are currently being studied for HIV prevention, this is the first study using the same products for treatment of persons who already have HIV infection. ARCA is the only site for this trial.
"ARCA is pleased to be conducting this important clinical trial," said Dr. Melanie Thompson, Principal Investigator for ARCA. "New approaches to HIV treatment are critically needed, and an effective therapeutic vaccine would be an important tool in our ongoing efforts to treat people with HIV infection. A vaccine that enhanced the body's ability to control HIV and delayed or decreased the dependence on anti-HIV drugs would be a major breakthrough for HIV treatment."
To be eligible for the study, persons should have had a negative HIV test followed by a positive test up to 6 months later, and they should have started drugs to fight HIV within 6 months of being diagnosed. The study will last up to 77 weeks. All patients will be followed closely for safety and for the ability of the vaccine to elicit protective immune responses in vaccinated participants. Patients will be compensated for their participation in the study. Only 10 to 12 persons will be selected to participate. Persons who believe they may qualify for the study should contact ARCA at [email protected] or 404-876-2317. ARCA is also interested in identifying possible candidates who fit the enrollment criteria but have not yet started anti-HIV drugs.
ARCA worked together with GeoVax to design the protocol for the Phase 1 clinical trial. The trial is based on the achievement of excellent post-vaccine viral control in animal studies conducted in recently infected non-human primates at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, affiliated with Emory University.
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