Richard.DeWald@f70.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Richard DeWald) (11/07/90)
The 3rd International Conference on Advances in AIDS Vaccine Development was
held in Clearwater Beach, Florida in the first part of October.
Ronald Kennedy, one of the researchers reporting results at the conference,
chastised the members of the conference for concentrating too much on the V3
loop, a specific 36-amino acid portion of the HIV envelope protein gp120.
Experimental evidence thus far suggests that you can elicit an unusually
potent antibody response with this fragment of the envelope protein called V3.
This is a most promising finding and I suspect that a bunch of researchers
have jumped on this bandwagon because of the tremendous commercial potential
of an HIV vaccine. The group that gets there first will reap everyone's
rewards.
The problem with using this reductionist technique is that we don't yet know
which parts of the virus need to be present in an effective vaccine against
infection. The envelope-protein vaccines, while eliciting an antibody
response, have thus far failed to protect monkeys from infection with live
HIV.
Traditional killed-virus vaccines, which include practically all of the parts
of the virus, have been generally regarded as too risky, though Jonas Salk is
going ahead with a one-year trial of his gp120-deleted (but otherwise whole)
HIV vaccine.
Another researcher reported by using a whole-virus SIV (a similar virus in
monkeys) vaccine they have been able to protect their monkeys against a
challenge with an SIV strain different from the one used in the vaccine
preparation. This result suggests that you can protect against a heterologous
challenge, easing the concern that an AIDS vaccine might only protect against
the HIV strain it was derived from.
Here is a summary of the research going on now:
APPLIED BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.: psuedovirion contains both core proteins and
envelope proteins, deletes infectious RNA, vaccinia carrier. This is
undergoing animal trials.
ONCOGEN (BRISTOL-MEYERS SQUIBB CO.): envelope antigen gp160 (gp120 precursor)
in vaccinia, with gp160 subunit. This has been in clinical trial for two
years.
BRITISH BIO-TECHNOLOGY GROUP: care antigen p24 in a virus like particle.
Phase I clinical trial began 9/90.
BIOCINE (CHIRON/CIBA GEIGY): envelope antigens gp120 and p 120 (the protein
portion of gp120). The are in preclinicals on gp120; in clinicals since 1989
with p120.
GENETECH, INC.: envelope antigen gp120. They are in animal trials, clinicals
by the end of 1990.
IMMUNE RESPONSE CORP: core antigen using all core proteins inactivated by
radition and chemicals, also developing envelope antigens using some of the
envelope proteins. They are entering Phase III trials for immunotherapy.
CAMBRIDGE BIOSCIENCE CORP: envelope antigen gp160. Their primate studies are
nearing completion.
CONNAUGHT LABORATORIES, LTD: psuedovirion that contains both core proteins
and envelope proteins, deletes infectious RNA. They are in animal trials.
MICROGENESYS INC: core antigen p24, envelope antigen gp160. In clinicals
with gp160 since 1987, p24 trials started 9/90.
MOLECULAR VACCINES: envelope antigen gp160. They are still in the lab, no
trials.
REPLIGEN CORP: envelope antigen gp120 V3 loop. Chimp trials ongoing,
clinicals next
VIRAL TECHNOLOGIES INC: core antigen p17. Phase I clinicals ongoing since
1989.
ref: Science, v250, p369
Richard DeWald, BSN Student
Univ. of TX - Austin.
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