Initial results of vaccine trials show signs of success

Preliminary results of the Kenya HIV/AIDS vaccine trials have indicated signs of success and the project has been cleared to progress to the next phase, Dr Omu Anzala, project manager for the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI), told PlusNews on Thursday.

Eighteen volunteers were used in the study - 12 were put on the vaccine while six were given a placebo. Six of those who received the vaccine were able to stimulate their immune systems to generate the required Killer-T cells, which were found to protect prostitutes from HIV infection even after being repeatedly exposed to the virus. Anzala said that no side effects were reported and the vaccine was well tolerated by the volunteers, proving that it was safe.

The vaccine trials were prompted by researchers' findings that prostitutes who were repeatedly exposed to the deadly virus were protected from infection by Killer-T cells. This led to the development of a vaccine that could trigger the formation of Killer-T cells in other people. Anzala added that these results could be seen as a "milestone" in the fight against HIV/AIDS, although it was premature for the vaccine to be distributed. He said that they were ready to begin the next stage of the trials and the vaccine was expected to be ready for distribution after five years.