Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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The Wall Street Journal - Tuesday, May 4, 1999
Ron Winslow, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, the recipient of the gift, said it is the largest single donation ever given to an AIDS-related cause and that it will enable the organization to more than double its efforts to spur development of a vaccine.
The group was formed three years ago out of concern that efforts to develop an AIDS vaccine were waning and out of the belief that, especially in the developing world where the epidemic is raging, vaccines offer the best chance of making headway against the disease.
"AIDS is mostly a disease of the developing world," said Seth Berkley, president of the initiative. Since nations most affected by it are least able to pay for medicines to treat or prevent it, vaccine companies "don't have the incentive to invest large amounts of capital" needed for research, Dr. Berkley said.
The five-year, $25 million grant from the William H. Gates Foundation gives a boost to the group, as it seeks to marshal financial and organizational support to develop vaccines, test them and make them accessible to developing countries. "Vaccines are one of the most far-reaching and effective technologies of our time," Mr. Gates said in a statement. "A widely distributed vaccine can help make the goal of a world without AIDS a reality."
Dr. Berkley said his group, based in New York, is supporting several different approaches to vaccine development in the hope this will enable researchers to find a successful approach more quickly. Two vaccines being supported by the group are nearing testing in humans.
The grant from Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, will enable the group to begin work on two or three additional approaches, Dr. Berkley said.
The couple gave $1.5 million to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in June. In December, they established a $100 million "Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program" aimed at providing greater access to vaccines for children in developing nations.
Dr. Berkley said 95% of new HIV infections occur in developing countries, where there is limited access to treatment. Vaccines are particularly crucial for treating people who may never be able to purchase medicines or will have difficulty staying on long-term therapies.
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