HIV Vaccine: November 2006 Archives

(AGI) - Rome, Nov 28 - 27pct of young people believe that there already is a vaccine against AIDS. 20pct are mistaken in how the HIV virus is spread. These figures were given by Prof. Fernando Aiuti, immunologist and Chairman of Anlaids, opening for the XX National Congress in Rome in the presence of Prof. Roberto Gallo, a world expert on the disease.

"There is no vaccine against AIDS, but there are some candidates which could become it, though it is not yet known which ones will work," he added. "Condoms should be placed in selling machines in high schools or nearby. Joints should not be allowed," added Prof. Aiuti, recalling data given by the Italian National Health Institute (ISS), which count one infection every two hours.

The production of an AIDS vaccine would cost 10 billion euro, virologist Vittorio Collizi said. A joint Bulgarian- Italian team is working on the new medicament.

Collizi is in Bulgaria to present research developments, Darik Radio reported. Together with Bulgarian Bogdan Petrounov, Collizi is working on a vaccine which at the same time develops immunity against HIV and tuberculosis.

The project was worth 10 billion euro, Collizi said. Funds were needed for the development and practical implementation of the vaccine, said he.

An Australian company is in a global race to produce a vaccine for diseases such as HIV and cancer.

The privately-owned company Replikun Biotech Pty Ltd has used the kunjin virus, found in mosquitoes from the wet tropics region of north Queensland, to make an injectable vaccine after processing with gene technology.

Replikun Biotech says laboratory testing has yielded promising results and the company has now reached the stage where the vaccine could be tested on monkeys, and if that is successful, on humans.

Replikun Biotech chief executive Shane Storey said the class of vaccines under development activated parts of the immune system which conventional vaccines could not kick-start.