UB Participating In First Large-Scale Trial of Hiv Vaccine

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Ninety Western New Yorkers will have a chance to take part in the first nation wide trial of a vaccine to prevent infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The University at Buffalo's Division of HIV Medicine is one of 50 centers across the U.S. participating in a study to test the effectiveness of a drug called AIDSVAX B/B, developed by VaxGen, Inc., to provide protection against the major HIV strains in the Americas, Western Europe and Australia.

The national study will involve a total of 5,000 male and female volunteers who are currently HIV-negative but are at high risk of acquiring the virus through sexual transmission based on current life style habits. The Buffalo trial is set to begin later this month.

Ross Hewitt, M.D., head of UB's Division of HIV Medicine and medical director of Immunodeficiency Services at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), will supervise the trial. It will be conducted out of the ECMC HIV clinic and the Evergreen Health Clinic on South Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, operated by AIDS Community Services of Western New York, Inc.

"I'm excited to be able to offer participation in this national program to Western New York residents," Hewitt said.

"During my 15 years of caring for people with HIV infection, I have looked forward to the day when a credible candidate vaccine against HIV would be tested. Even with the advances in treatment of the disease, preventing HIV infection is much more desirable than treating it. While this vaccine is not the answer yet, testing its effectiveness is the very important first step."

He noted that the trial provides an excellent opportunity for the university, the UB medical school, ECMC and Aids Community Services to work together.

Trial participants will be given a series of vaccinations over three years. Their HIV status and production of potentially protective antibodies will be monitored frequently. Earlier trials

showed that the vaccine produced antibodies in 99 percent of participants. By targeting an at-risk population during this trial, researchers expect to be able to determine the vaccine's actual protective effect.

Participants who become HIV positive during the trial will be monitored to determine if the vaccine was able to reduce the viral load, a secondary goal of the study.

The trial is double-blinded and placebo-controlled. This means that some participants will receive the vaccine, in this case two-thirds of the total, and the remaining one-third will receive a benign vaccine substitute. Neither the participants nor the medical personnel involved will know who is in which group.

Researchers hope the study will result in production of an effective vaccine that can be used worldwide. A separate vaccine is being tested in Southeast Asia against strains prevalent in that region.

Nearly 12 million people have died from AIDS to date. The United Nations and the World Health Organization estimate that 50 million people will be infected with HIV by the year 2000 and that by 2010, 40 million will have died.

Individuals interested in participating in the study should call the HIV Vaccine Hotline at 898-5680. All information will remain confidential.