Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - Thursday, 5 December 1996.
But a fellow AIDS researcher said the failure did not mean they should give up. On the contrary, the failures were helping them home in on an approach that will work against the virus.
Joseph Eron and colleagues at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tested 550 people who were infected with HIV but had no symptoms.
Their vaccine was called MNrgp120, after the part of the virus's outer envelope it targeted, they reported in the Lancet medical journal.
But they stopped the trial after 15 months when it became clear the vaccine was not working.
Other vaccines have shown similar poor results, but experts know that HIV is one of the trickiest viruses ever seen -- mutating quickly and efficiently and turning the body's own immune system against itself.
All vaccines work to stimulate the body's immune system to fight off the invader -- be it a virus or a bacterium. Different AIDS vaccines have hoped to use slightly different parts of the virus to stimulate this effect so that patients never progress to full-blown AIDS.
Dr. Barton Haynes of the Duke University Center for AIDS Research said the findings should not necessarily be regarded as negative because "it shows the field can now move on to other strategies."
"First, it is now clear that the destruction of the immune system by HIV is due to relentless and high levels of HIV replication," he wrote.
It was also clear that an infected person's immune system was already working overtime against the virus, to no ultimate effect, so the idea of further stimulating the immune system was probably out.
He said any vaccine would have to take into account the huge variability seen in HIV. The good news was that much was known about how the virus works on a biochemical, cellular level -- so researchers know what bits to target.
Researchers could also learn from people known to have genetic resistance to HIV, he said.
961205
RE961222
Copyright © 1996 - Reuters, Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Contact Reuters.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1996. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1996. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .