GSK collaborates with IAVI in research on new AIDS vaccine vectors

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK Biologicals) is partnering with IAVI to conduct pre-clinical development of a viral vector to be used for future AIDS vaccine candidates. IAVI will be working with GSK to develop the new vector, which uses a chimpanzee version of adenovirus to deliver a non-infectious fragment of HIV. Vaccine candidates using a human adenovirus vector have already been tested in several trials in humans and a larger Phase IIb trial is now ongoing.

The collaboration between Europe's largest pharmaceutical company and a non-profit international health organization is the first of its kinds in the AIDS vaccine field. Such public-private partnerships are already in place for other diseases like tuberculosis. Both GSK and IAVI are committed to making an effective AIDS vaccine available in developing countries at an affordable price.