IMMUNOGENICITY AND HIV-1 VIRUS NEUTRALIZATION OF MN RECOMBINANT GLYCOPROTEIN-120 HIV-1 QS21 VACCINE IN BABOONS

The effect of adjuvant and immunization schedule on the immunogenicity of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein, MN rgp120, was optimized by using bab oons. The novel adjuvant QS21 elicited earlier seroconversion than alu m adjuvant, and the antibody titers to MN rgp120 for animals treated w ith QS21 were significantly greater than the titers obtained in animal s treated with alum. The use of QS21 shifted the dose-response curve, resulting in less MN rgp120 required to achieve equivalent titers to t hose in the alum formulations. The irt vitro virus neutralizing (VN) t iters from animals treated with QS21 were 3- to 10-fold higher than wi th alum. The data presented herein point to the superiority of QS21 as adjuvant in primates for MN rgp120.