Vaccine in final phase of testing

(July 2003)

A study under way at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), USA, aims to determine if an experimental vaccine is safe and effective in preventing genital herpes in young women who do not test positive for HSV-1 or HSV-2..

The 38-month study marks the final phase of testing for the candidate vaccine, called Herpevac, developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

UAB is 1 of 17 sites across the USA participating in the study, directed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and GSK.

Study sites will enroll a total of 7,500 eligible participants - women between the ages of 18 and 30 who are sexually active. Following an initial screening, participants will visit the clinic nine times over a period of 20 months. Half will be randomly selected to receive the vaccine, given in three shots over the course of the study. Vaccination against HSV-2 is seen as an important measure against the rise in infection rates and Herpevac is just one of the many vaccines currently being studied that acts against the herpesvirus.

Source: Clinical Trials Week April 28, 2003