HIV vaccines

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HIV vaccines

• Immune correlates of protection
• Viral diversity
• Animal models
• Mucosal immunity
• HIV pathogenesis

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HIV vaccine

• Prevent infection
• Abortive infection
• Circulation of limited amounts of virus

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European perspective

• Relative optimism
• Concerns

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Reasons for optimism

• Vaccine research an (the) area where we may
  expect the most relevant progress in HIV/AIDS
  research to occur in the next ten years
• Commitment to transparency, enhanced
  collaboration and cooperation.
• The Global Enterprise
• HIV vaccines a  global public good 

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European perspective reasons for optimism

• 40 of pub-med listed publications on HIV
  originate from Europe
• Strong basic research component
• 25 HIV vaccinal products developed results of 6
  clinical trials in Europe reported at the AIDS
  Vaccine Conference in september 2004

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HIV Vaccine Products in Europe
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European perspective reasons for concern

• Low political commitment to vaccine research
  despite strong support to the global fight
  against HIV/AIDS
• Disconnect (in Brussels as well as at the member
  states level) between ministries/policy makers
  funding research, and ministries of Health,
  ministries for Development and ministries of
  Foreign Affairs

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European perspective reasons for concern

• Fragmentation
• Low level of funding
• Lack of a common scientific strategy that would
  allow to synergize the strengths and to better
  handle the weaknesses of european programs

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European perspective sources of funding

• Government  non-specific  public research
  funds or  HIV-specific  dedicated public funds
• European Commission (DGXII)
• Public-private partnerships IAVI
• Foundations Wellcome Trust, Institut Pasteur,
  Eurovacc

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EC FUNDING

• We suggest that the scientifically strongest
  components of the existing European programs be
  coordinated and developed synergistically, rather
  than in opposition or competition as resulting at
  present from the current mechanisms of funding

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European perspective reasons for concern

• Low level of industrial commitment despite strong
  investments in pharma and longstanding european
  involvement in vaccine production
• Three of the major pharma groups involved in
  vaccine research are located in Europe

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European perspective (1)

• Continuing support for basic research
• Increased funding for the development of
  currently available vaccine candidates Phase II
  trials to take place from 2005 decision on
  phase III in 2007-2009
• Scientifically-driven european research agenda
  and focus on most promising candidates
• European trial network of clinical centers and
  reference laboratories ear-marked funds for the
  production of clinical lots

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European perspective (2)

• A clearly stated strategic vision will allow
  Europe to act internationally as a credible
  scientific entity
• The plurality of approaches is key for the
  success of science
• Enhanced international collaborations,
  participation to the Global Enterprise and
  further work with the developing countries should
  allow for European science to contribute at best
  to the development of effective HIV vaccines

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KEY QUESTIONS

• Induction of broadly-neutralizing antibodies
• Improve the frequency of induction of cytotoxic T
  lymphocytes (CTL)
• Induction of mucosal immune responses