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GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals and AIDS Vaccine
Initiative Partner to Develop AIDS Vaccine
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK Biologicals)
and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) today announced
a public-private partnership to develop an AIDS
vaccine using a promising new technology. The collaboration
– the first-ever in AIDS vaccine research between IAVI and a major
vaccine company – will facilitate early research and development
of GSK’s non-human primate adenovirus vaccine vector as an enabling
component of an effective AIDS vaccine.
Under the agreement,
IAVI and GSK will collaborate to advance the development of the
technology, which uses non-infectious vaccine vectors to stimulate
specific immune responses directed against HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS. The vectors are derived from adenoviruses, originally isolated
from non-human primates, which have been engineered to be non-infectious
and capable of efficiently delivering genes expressing HIV proteins
to the immune system. IAVI will contribute technical expertise and
funding, and GSK and IAVI researchers will form a joint R&D
team.
The IAVI-GSK
collaborative research will initially focus on vaccines designed
to elicit immune responses against variants of HIV that circulate
predominantly in Africa, although the goal of the collaboration
is to develop vaccines that would be applicable worldwide. After
pre-clinical evaluation, GSK Biologicals and IAVI plan to conduct
Phase I clinical trials of the vaccine candidates. The partners
hope this will be the first phase of a collaboration that could
be much broader. Both GSK Biologicals and IAVI are committed to
making any successful vaccine available as quickly as possible to
developing countries at affordable prices.
“This is a
new kind of partnership that involves real scientific collaboration
to accelerate the development of an AIDS vaccine,” said Seth Berkley,
MD, President and CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
“Together, GSK Biologicals and IAVI will work to develop an important
approach to an effective AIDS vaccine. We hope this will be the
beginning of a long term partnership that brings together some of
the most promising technologies in the field. We cannot think of
a better partner, given GSK’s long-standing commitment to addressing
diseases of developing countries.”
“IAVI is one
of the leaders in the AIDS vaccine field, and we are proud to be
working together to develop an effective vaccine as quickly as possible,”
said Jean Stéphenne, President and General Manager of GSK Biologicals,
the Rixensart, Belgium-based unit of GlaxoSmithKline PLC and one
of the world’s largest vaccine companies. “This partnership is
a model for how the public and private sectors can work together.
The private sector has an immense amount of knowledge, resources
and expertise, and innovative partnerships such as this are essential
to tackle the biggest global health challenges.”
“GSK is pursuing
three scientific avenues to research an effective AIDS vaccine,”
Stéphenne added. “This partnership will help us to accelerate the
evaluation of these technologies, and can be extended in the future.”
Today’s announcement
comes in the lead up to the G8 summit in Scotland in July, where
world leaders are expected to build on previous commitments to expand
support for research of vaccines against AIDS, as well as other
developing-country diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Innovative
financing tools proposed by the UK government include both an International
Finance Facility for Immunization and advance-purchase commitments
to spur private investment in vaccines against diseases of the developing
world.
“An AIDS vaccine is essential in the fight
against disease and extreme poverty in the developing world, particularly
in Africa,” said Hilary Benn, UK Secretary of State for International
Development. “This agreement demonstrates the kind of collaboration
between the public and private sectors that is critical for enhancing
the research and development of new vaccines against the world’s
most devastating infectious diseases. We are proud to have been
the first government to provide financial support to IAVI, and we
welcome this joint venture.”
The non-human
primate adenovirus vector technology was derived from research conducted
by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania. The technology
is owned by the University and is exclusively licensed to GSK.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About GSK Biologicals
GlaxoSmithKline
Biologicals (GSK Biologicals), one of the world’s leading vaccine
manufacturers, is located in Rixensart, Belgium. GSK Biologicals
employs more than 1000 research scientists who are devoted to discovering
new vaccines and developing more cost-effective and convenient combination
products to prevent infections that cause serious medical problems
worldwide. GSK Biologicals employs more than 4450 people worldwide.
GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical
and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality
of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live
longer. For more information, see www.gsk.com.
About the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
(IAVI)
The International
AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is a global not-for-profit organization
working to accelerate the development of a vaccine to prevent HIV
infection and AIDS. Founded in 1996 and operational in 23 countries,
IAVI and its network of collaborators research and develop vaccine
candidates. IAVI also advocates for a vaccine to be a global priority
and works to assure that a future vaccine will be accessible to
all who need it.
IAVI's financial
and in-kind supporters include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
the Rockefeller Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan and Starr Foundations;
the Governments of Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Ireland,
the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United
States; multilateral organizations such as the World Bank; corporate
donors including BD (Becton, Dickinson & Co.), Continental Airlines
and DHL; leading AIDS charities such as Crusaid, Deutsche AIDS Stiftung,
and the Until There's A Cure Foundation; and other private donors
such as the Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust B. For more information,
see www.iavi.org.
06/22/05
Source
GlaxoSmithKline. GSK Biologicals and IAVI Partner to Develop AIDS Vaccine. Press
Release. June 21, 2005.
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