CD4 Based Therapeutic Vaccine for HIV

An effective therapeutic vaccine for HIV should be capable of reducing viral load and spread of infprevent the onset of AIDS. In an SIV-rhesus macaque model, immunization with a recombinant, solubleCD4 molecule (rsCD4) induced an anti-CD4 response that reduced viral load and rendered PBLs from theanimals resistant to infection with SIV. This anti-viral activity was found in the IgG fraction of tI clinical study HIV-infected individuals immunized with human rsCD4 in IFA developed an anti-CD4 reachieved were insufficient to prevent spread of HIV. These results suggest that B cell tolerance toovercome. This application will focus on developing strategies for enhancing immune responses to rsCmodel tolerant to human CD4. In particular, a series of vaccines composed of vaccines composed of rhprotein conjugates of CD4-derived peptide conjugates formulated in different adjuvants will be evaluenhance T helper and B cell responses in a mouse model expressing a human CD4 transgene. This studyselection of a more immunogenic rsCD4 formulation for clinical study.