[extropy-chat] HIV vaccine advance

[Damien Broderick]

<Aussie vaccine 'blocks out' HIV
By Clara Pirani, Health editor and AAP
February 13, 2004

AUSTRALIAN researchers have developed a HIV vaccine which they claim 
controls the level of HIV in people recently infected with the virus.

The anti-retroviral drugs that are now used to treat HIV were developed to 
fight the actual virus - a treatment that is very effective but causes 
significant side-effects.

The vaccine called VIR201 was developed by Melbourne-based biotech company 
Virax and it works by boosting the body's immune system to fight virus.

The year-long trial involved 35 people recently infected with HIV.

They were given three different vaccines and the 12 people who received 
VIR201 recorded lower HIV levels than the other participants.

The researchers believe that by restricting the level of the virus, 
patients will not develop AIDS and can live long and relatively healthy, 
normal lives. > etc

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8666666%255E2702,00.html