GenVec vaccine technology enters first HIV human therapeutic clinical trials

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 22 - GenVec, Inc. said the first human therapeutic clinical trials have begun to assess the effectiveness of a DNA prime vaccine using GenVec's adenovector technology as a potential therapy for patients infected with HIV.

The randomized, placebo-controlled study of 15 HIV positive patients will be conducted by the Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

Patients in the 48-week study will be treated with DNA prime followed by a booster with the second vaccine, known as rAD5 boost.

"In preclinical and clinical studies, our vaccine candidates have demonstrated a broad antibody and T-cell responses against HIV, clades A, B and C," senior vice president of research Rick King said in a company news release.

"We look forward to the completion of human studies to assess the effectiveness of these products as therapeutic options for patients."

An estimated 6.4 million new cases of HIV/AIDS were diagnosed and roughly 40 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2004, according to the release.

GenVec is a Gaithersburg, Md., biopharmaceutical company developing novel gene-based therapeutic drugs and vaccines.

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