GENVEC STARTS PHASE II OF HIV VACCINE TRIAL

An experimental HIV vaccine candidate developed in part by GenVec and the NIH has reached midstage testing. The Phase II clinical trial will enroll 480 healthy volunteers who will either receive the vaccine or a placebo. Volunteers in the U.S., Haiti, Brazil, Trinidad, South Africa and Botswana will participate.

The Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of NIH, is funding the HIV vaccine work. GenVec is attempting to commercialize drugs to treat cancer and cardiac disease and to prevent vision loss. It is also developing vaccines for malaria and foot and mouth disease.