Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
United Press International - November 21, 2007
Researchers said an immune system gene used to enhance a vaccine used to study HIV in macaque monkeys offered the animals greater protection against simian HIV than an unmodified vaccine, the Philadelphia university said in a news release. The findings could lead to innovative ways to boost the immune response in humans.
The study showed that DNA vaccine effectiveness could be improved by adding specific immune adjuvants, or helpers, researchers said.
"DNA vaccine technology has great promise for the development of vaccines and immune therapeutics for a variety of infectious diseases and cancers," said senior author David B. Weiner.
Previous studies established that such technology can induce immune responses safely, but "improving the immune potency of this platform is critical for further development in humans," Weiner said.
The research adds to previous work aimed at engineering a more potent immune response to SHIV DNA vaccine technology.
Weiner said the next phase of his multiyear research will be to study the protected macaques to determine the actual mechanism of their protection.
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