UGANDA: HIV/AIDS vaccine trials to begin this week

Phase one trials of an HIV vaccine are set to begin after a seven-month delay, the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) said on Monday.

"The selection and approval of candidates is what caused the delay, but we are now ready to begin safety tests," URVI's head of immunology, Dr. Pontiano Kaleebu, told the UN news service Plusnews.

Kaleebu said the vaccine DNA-MVA will target the HIV subtype A, found to be most prevalent in East Africa.

"The vaccine preparations have been going on for the past three-and-a-half years at the UVRI. While it is still too early to celebrate, many stakeholders have expressed their hopefulness in the success of the trials," Kaleebu said.

Kallebu said the 50 volunteers between the age of 18-50 would get four vaccine injections over a period of 18 months.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Other,

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