AIDS Vaccine Nearing Reality at Emory

[Logan13]

AIDS Vaccine Nearing Reality at Emory
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_...?storyid=93439

The world could have a new vaccine designed to kill the AIDS virus in as little as three to four years according to an Atlanta-based group working on the vaccine.

It is a scientific advance that could save tens of millions of lives, and it is being developed on the campus of Emory University.

The work has been going on quietly for the last 15 years. But now it appears headed for the bell lap in the race to prevent the disease.

And the Atlanta-based group may be way ahead of the rest of the world.

The GeoVax lab at Emory is smaller than many garages. And yet the small modular building may be where the battle to end the reign of one the world's biggest killers could be won with a vaccine to prevent AIDS.

"We're getting results back that indicate we're getting very strong immune responses in these individuals these people who received our vaccine," said Don Hildebrand, the president and CEO of GeoVax Inc., the company spearheading the research in collaboration with Emory, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Institutes of Health.

The vaccine uses a decoy virus with some of the genetic material of the aids virus but not enough for anyone to ever get the disease itself from the shot, according to Dr. Harriet Robinson, Ph. D., of the Emory Vaccine Center.

"It exposes your immune system to a pathogen like a virus or bacteria so before you've seen it you set up memory cells,” Dr. Robinson said, “and then these memory cells mobilize should you get the actual infection."

The test trials have been so successful that the vaccine is now more than a year ahead of schedule.

"Actually another two trials are starting later this year using different combinations of our vaccine and different administration programs,” said GeoVax CEO Hildebrand. “And following that presuming everything goes well we'll be starting a phase two program at the end of the year."

The vaccine works using a one-two pharmaceutical punch to prime the body then kill the virus.

“It raises both antibodies that can block the virus and it raises white blood cells called t cells that can kill the virus infected cells,” said Dr. Robinson. “So it really has two methods of controlling an HIV/AIDS infection once it enters the body."

The vaccine’s success with the simian AIDS virus has been nothing short of remarkable. Not only did the vaccine prevent the infection, it kept it under control for the monkeys that already had it, putting it in a kind of remission.

Researchers believe the same benefits await human subjects.

[Act of God]

That's a world changer if it happens.

[Hoggage_54]

Hopefully they are not just saying this to get people to invest in them and that its a real vaccine, because far too many people are dying needlessly from HIV/AIDS.

[Kärnfysikern]

If its true its going to make someone a billionair!

[mcpeepants]

keep up the good science

[Act of God]

And the world will be one step closer to permanent consequence-free sex!

Another thought I had on this is that once AIDS is cured there are going to be MAJOR overpopulation issues in Africa (not that there aren't already). AIDS acts as a population check, I wonder what will come up next...

[ebjack]

all diseases that kill or sterilize, act as a population check..
oh and include accidents and killer weather

[Dude-Man]

And the world will be one step closer to permanent consequence-free sex!

Another thought I had on this is that once AIDS is cured there are going to be MAJOR overpopulation issues in Africa (not that there aren't already). AIDS acts as a population check, I wonder what will come up next...

Last i checked HIV wasn't the only reason to have protected sex. There's 2 other permanent viruses, one risk of baby, and a fistfull of nasty, humiliating bacterial infections.

[cj1capp]

Last i checked HIV wasn't the only reason to have protected sex. There's 2 other permanent viruses, one risk of baby, and a fistfull of nasty, humiliating bacterial infections.

yeah lets these fixed first !

[Act of God]

Last i checked HIV wasn't the only reason to have protected sex. There's 2 other permanent viruses, one risk of baby, and a fistfull of nasty, humiliating bacterial infections.

It was a joke, completely not serious

[Kärnfysikern]

And the world will be one step closer to permanent consequence-free sex!

Another thought I had on this is that once AIDS is cured there are going to be MAJOR overpopulation issues in Africa (not that there aren't already). AIDS acts as a population check, I wonder what will come up next...

Well maby nature will cook up a nasty version of ebola-zaire that has a bit longer incubation period, kills a bit slower and is air born. As far as I know the biggest factor that has prevented a massive Ebola epidemy is that it kills so damn fast.

[DTBusta]

It will make many on the stock market wealthy, all those lucky insiders. Theres the republican view " well than there will be population explosions, so lets let them die" great view, really?

[Logan13]

It will make many on the stock market wealthy, all those lucky insiders. Theres the republican view " well than there will be population explosions, so lets let them die" great view, really?

like it or not, all living organisms(including viruses) survive for a reason and serve to play a role.

[mcpeepants]

Well maby nature will cook up a nasty version of ebola-zaire that has a bit longer incubation period, kills a bit slower and is air born. As far as I know the biggest factor that has prevented a massive Ebola epidemy is that it kills so damn fast.

hopefully we never get Ebola that spreads as easily as the common cold or flu or we're going to be f'ed. i think if we had a slower killing Ebola, it would make it easier to take care of infected people, effectively quarantine infected people, locate people who are immune or survived infection, and search for a cure.

[Mus505]

that will be great....will save lives in third world africa