This involves their evaluation conforming to the international standard, and adopting the best practices. Our partnership with IAVI is helping us achieve this aim through not only bringing new vaccines but also in capacity development and infrastructure strengthening. We are delighted to collaborate with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in the search for a safe and effective preventive vaccine. We have successfully worked together in the past and, going forward, hope to achieve even greater success through this initiative."



In previous Phase I studies of different DNA and MVA-based AIDS vaccine candidates in a prime-boost regimen, the combination proved safe and well-tolerated and generated enhanced immune responses when compared with the responses generated by either vaccine candidate alone. In studies of DNA + MVA vaccines in non-human primates using the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model, immunised non-human primates controlled SIV replication, providing an important preclinical test of concept for this vaccine strategy.

IAVI, in collaboration with London's Imperial College, has also recently initiated a Phase I clinical trial in London, UK to test a prime-boost combination of ADVAX and TBC-M4.

The UK and India trials are two separate trials and will use different modes of administration of the ADVAX candidate, different dosages, and different vaccination regimens. Collectively, the results of the trials from both countries will help determine whether further development of these AIDS vaccine candidates in a prime-boost combination is warranted.



"AIDS is a global calamity that is not going away," said Dr. Seth Berkley, IAVI President and CEO. "Today, 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV and 7,500 are newly infected every day. A vaccine offers the best hope of not just reducing the AIDS problem but actually bringing it to an end."