Crucell gets $16.2M NIH contract for HIV vaccine project

Dutch biotechnology company Crucell NV says that it has secured a $16.2 million contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health, for the design and development of an HIV vaccine. The contract supports a collaborative program with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School and Charles River Laboratories.

The program focuses on the use of live viral vectors for the design and development of an HIV vaccine. A number of HIV genes will be tested for insertion into the vector, with the best antigens being selected for development into products suitable for phase I and II clinical trials in humans. The program will be supported by the NIAID's Vaccine Research Center, which will offer expertise on antigen design.

The contract provides for full cost reimbursement plus a fixed-fee. The program will be fully covered up until the commencement of clinical trials. Further, the NIAID HIV Vaccine Trials Network has expressed interest in performing clinical trials as soon as preclinical tests are completed and a clinical lot is available, said Crucell.