SAFETY AND IMMUNOGENICITY OF REMUNE(TM) IN HIV-INFECTED THAI SUBJECTS

The safety and immunogenicity of REMUNE(TM) an HIV-specific immune bas ed therapy for HIV infection, was evaluated in a cohort of 30 HIV infe cted subjects in Thailand, This therapy utilizes a gp120 depleted inac tivated virus (HZ(321)), which Exhibits a high degree of conservation with the core antigens of both type B' and E strains of HIV the predom inant Thailand isolates, The treatment was well tolerated with no seri ous adverse events reported over the course of the 4-month trial, Trea tment in which four doses were administered with REMUNE(TM) appear-ed to boost HIV-specific immune I responses, with approximately 75% of th e treated subjects demonstrating an increase in either the repertoire or the intensity of the serological response to HIV as measured by Wes tern blot. CD4%, viral load and weight remained stable over the course of the 4-month study relative to baseline values. Viral subtyping of this cohort revealed a predominance of type 'E', These data suggest th at REMUNE(TM) is safe and immunogenic in seropositive further study of the therapeutic potential of REMUNE(TM) Thai subjects and supports fu rther study of the therapeutic potential of REMUNE(TM) to treat HIV-1 infection. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right reserved.