HIV Vaccine Creators Share Patents

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Three partners developing and testing the first HIV/AIDS vaccine specifically designed for an African strain of the disease have agreed to joint ownership of the drug's patents.

The three-year agreement signed Friday settles one of the hurdles that had earlier threatened to delay testing the vaccine to combat the viral strain most common in eastern Africa. Kenyan trials of the vaccine started several months later than expected, partly because of wrangling over ownership and patent rights.

``This was a delicate matter, requiring a lot of patience and compromise from all parties,'' said Francis Gichaga, vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi.

Gichaga and Seth Berkley, president of the New York-based International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, signed the agreement in Nairobi on Friday. Britain's Medical Research Council signed it in England earlier this week.

``The task force was guided by the principle of fairness, equal partnership and need to equitably apportion credit and any revenues that may accrue from this project,'' Gichaga said.

The groups have been working since November 1998 to develop a double vaccine, basing much of their research on prostitutes from a Nairobi slum who appear to be immune to the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

The first component is a simple DNA vaccine that delivers the genetic information on HIV. The second component, known as MVA, is a vaccine that delivers the same genetic information but uses a weakened smallpox virus to carry it to the cells.

The DNA vaccine is in its first phase of testing on both Kenyans and Britons. Tests of the MVA vaccine are being conducted in England and are expected to begin in Kenya in September or October, said Gilbert Carnathan, project manager at the vaccine initiative, which is funding the research.

Trials combining the components are expected to begin later this year in Britain and in early 2002 in Kenya, Carnathan said.

There is no HIV virus in the injections. The safety tests will determine whether they have any toxic effects.

Once the combination vaccine has proven safe, it will be tested to see if it actually wards off AIDS. The process is expected to take several years.

Berkley will sign an agreement with the Uganda Vaccine Research Institute on Tuesday that will pave the way for testing there of an orally administered version of the vaccine, Carnathan told The Associated Press.

Tests so far have ``not only been safe, but also generated surprisingly good immune responses,'' Berkley said.

Africa, the world's poorest continent, is ground zero in the fight against HIV/AIDS. More than 24 million Africans live with the virus but most cannot afford expensive drugs designed to slow its effects.

Other vaccines target strains prevalent in Europe and North America.