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The vaccine will be tested against HIV in humans
Last reviewed: 20.05.2018
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At one time, a virologist from the United States, Robert Gallo, has been at the center of attention for a decade, as he is one of the pioneers of HIV that leads to AIDS.
In the late 70's Gallo studied the special types of viruses - retroviruses, which were found mainly in primates, in humans, this type of virus was not open for long.
In the early 80's, the scientist was able to identify the type of human retrovirus (HTLV-1), which was the cause of the development of a rare form of blood cancer, then he identified another human retrovirus, HTLV-2.
For a long time, Gallo's discovery provoked skepticism among the researcher's colleagues, but the discovery of the third retrovirus of man forced many experts to change their point of view. The third retrovirus was HIV.
During the discovery of HIV, there were loud disputes - the retrovirus was isolated from the human lymph system, which died of AIDS, for the first time the French researchers Montagnier and Barre-Sinoussi succeeded.
In their work, the French used the method developed by Robert Gallo. In 1983, an article published by French scientists suggested that HIV is the cause of the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans.
A year later, Gallo published several articles detailing the retrovirus, as well as evidence that it actually causes the development of AIDS. It was also Gallo who first suggested using a blood test to detect HIV infection.
It was later discovered that the viruses described by Gallo and the French are virtually indistinguishable, and Gallo was suspected of conferring other people's achievements, as there was an exchange of laboratory samples between the United States and France.
Later on, around the patent for the analysis of HIV, hot arguments arose, as both France and the United States claimed it. As a result, the patent was awarded to these two countries.
Now Robert Gallo has started testing a new vaccine against HIV and soon the drug will be tested on volunteers.
Robert Gallo, together with a group of scientists from the medical school at the University of Maryland, has already begun the first phase of clinical research (the testing began on October 8).
The pioneer of the virus himself explained that the new vaccine keeps the virus from infection, this mechanism will help neutralize various strains of HIV. All researchers are confident that this particular principle of the vaccine will help to effectively prevent the development of HIV.
A new vaccine was developed for 15 years and all necessary tests were already performed on laboratory animals (monkeys).
Robert Gallo also noted that the development of this vaccine is an important step in the study of HIV and AIDS. Despite the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done, the vaccine will help to understand the reaction to hacking the protection of antibodies by humans, not animals.
60 volunteers will take part in testing a new vaccine against HIV. During the tests, scientists plan to determine the level of drug safety and study the immune response.