Long-Term Data Supports Salk Immunogen Potential

Long-term data from the first clinical trial of Immune Response's HIV vaccine Remune (gp120-depleted inactivated HIV-1 immunogen), designed by the late Jonas Salk, have been published in the April issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology. The results suggest that those patients who mount an immune response to the vaccine do better over time than those who do not.

The trial began in 1987 and involved 25 HIV-infected individuals with a mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 375/mm3 (range 135 to 769/mm3). 23 had AIDS-related symptoms, while two were asymptomatic at enrollment. Follow-up visits were made up to six years.

Over a three-year period, the participants received a median of eight immunizations with Remune. 12 of the 25 patients developed a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the vaccine (shown by a positive skin test), which indicated that they were mounting an HIV-specific immune response. All the participants tested negative for this skin test on entry into the study.