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SA scientists optimistic about HIV/AIDS Vaccine
Lynne Altenroxel. 02 June 2003. The Star. Republished courtesy of Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd.
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Local scientists have developed an HIV/AIDS vaccine that could be tested on humans by the end of next year.
The virtually all-female HIV/AIDS vaccine research team at the University of Cape Town (UCT) behind the project are modest about their achievement.
"We're part of the global initiative to find an HIV/AIDS vaccine," said Professor Anna-Lise Williamson, who heads the group. "You can't do it alone. We're not trying to do it alone."
Just over 20 HIV/AIDS vaccines - each using a different strategy - are being tested in humans or about to enter human trials. They have been developed by scientists, mainly in the United States, Britain, China and France.
The South African vaccine is based on a combination of two vaccines, which are given to people a few weeks apart.
It uses a strategy, developed by Oxford Professor Andrew McMichael and Dr Tomas Hanke, which has shown promise in human trials.
Three different HIV/AIDS vaccinations have been developed by the UCT team for inclusion in a multi-dose combination. Taken individually, the vaccinations would probably fare poorly. But the combination approach, called a DNA-MVA vaccine, shows promise.
The concept was designed by Williamson's sister, Professor Carolyn Williamson, who two years ago won the World Technology Award for her role, in collaboration with US researcher Professor Robert Johnston, in developing another HIV/AIDS vaccine, which is about to enter human trials.
Both vaccines she has worked on are regarded as among the more promising in the world.
Working with the Williamson sisters are immunologist Professor Enid Shephard and molecular biologists Dr Joanne van Harmelen and Dr Wendy Burgers.
Burgers, who constructed one of the three individual vaccines, returned home from Cambridge, England, when she realised how horribly HIV/AIDS was affecting her country.
"I had once said that I would never work on HIV," she said. "But the gravity of the situation just hits you. So I came back here and asked if I could have a job - and I got it."
Van Harmelen, who constructed another of the vaccines, turned down several opportunities for overseas studies so that she could continue her research.
However, there is still a long road ahead in the search for an HIV/AIDS vaccine.
Most scientists believe it will take at least 10 years before one becomes available.
It could take a year or more to complete the intricate process of obtaining approval for human trials.
For the UCT team, the search for a vaccine - a field usually dominated by pharmaceutical companies - has meant getting used to a complete change in the way they work.
They have had to learn to negotiate contracts and deal with manufacturing standards instead of simply undertaking research.
At first, Anna-Lise Williamson explains, other academics were sceptical that they would succeed. "When we started, people said to us: 'Pharmaceutical companies do this. What do you think you're doing?'" |
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