Saturday, January 14, 2012

New AIDS Vaccine Tested In Rwanda



Minister of Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho confirmed that new HIV Vaccines are currently in trial and has kicked off in Rwanda. 
Researchers from Canada started the first phase of the clinical trials on 25 people with no infection.
This research is sponsored by The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and in Rwanda it is implemented by San Francisco Project.
Dr Binagwaho told local media IGIHE.com via Twitter that this AIDS Vaccine has been started to be tried in Rwanda.
“Yes, we have a trial that has shown best adherence of participants. Sponsored by The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and implemented by PSF,” Binagwaho noted.
Two categories of vaccines are in test in Rwanda, those are HIV MAG-IL12 and Ad35-GRIN-ENV in one trial.
The Press reports indicate that the vaccine is unique in that it uses a dead HIV-1 virus similar to vaccines used against polio and influenza and is genetically engineered to be non-pathogenic, meaning it won’t cause HIV in recipients.
Binagwaho added that Rwanda work hand in hand with partners to serve global science and global fight against.
“One benefit of the trial is having financial access to it when it is available, everyone in the world has to contribute at his/her level. This is how we would have full access.” said Minister of Health.
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative works with individuals and organizations in developing countries to conduct epidemiological studies, social-science research, educational initiatives, voluntary counseling and testing consultations and capacity-building to ensure transparent and effective clinical trial processes.
Partners include the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Rwanda’s Project San Francisco and the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Seventy five people are in test where each country has 25 people.
Story by Magnifique Migisha, a Journalist from Rwanda, East Africa.

1 comment:

  1. I wonder if researchers from Canada are those of a team led by Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, a virologist at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada who have received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials on humans in January, 2011.

    The second question is "Do two categories of vaccine mean a live attenuated vaccine and a dead(killed)vaccine?" Otherwise, are they a preventive vaccine and a therapy vaccine?

    I will greatly appreciate it if anybody can answer my two questions.

    ReplyDelete