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Assistant professor examines HIV vaccine research |
| By
Deanna Woolf |
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Oct 11, 2005 |
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| Dr. Eric Sahloff |
"We can manage it — it's not a death sentence. We treat people who've lived 20 years with it. They can live the lives you or I have."
The speaker is Dr. Eric Sahloff, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, and the "it" is HIV/AIDS. Working in an outpatient infectious disease clinic once a week, he provides prescription advice and counsels on drugs' effects to men infected with the disease. He also wrote a review of HIV vaccine research that appeared in the May issue of Pharmacotherapy and was picked up by WebMD's Medscape.
In "Current Issues in the Development of a Vaccine to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus," Sahloff reviewed current vaccine strategies for preventative HIV vaccines and looked at phase III trials of three different HIV vaccines. "A phase III trial is a large-scale trial. Here you determine your end points — you see if it works or not. This is the data which will be taken to the FDA for possible approval," he explained.
Though researchers are working hard, HIV vaccines are difficult to develop for several reasons. "HIV is unique. We don't really understand how the immune system fights it off or deals with it," he said. The virus also can develop numerous mutations, which change its genetic structure. "Normally, our cells have mechanisms that go back and 'proofread' the DNA to make sure everything is correct. HIV doesn't have that mechanism. Some of the mutations kill it and some help it survive better," Sahloff said. "The genetic diversity makes it extremely difficult to develop vaccines."
In addition, the animal models are not helpful. "What works in SIV, the HIV equivalent in monkeys, or in other animals doesn't necessarily guarantee success in people," he said. This means researchers are often unable to accurately assess vaccines and therapeutic drugs without the use of humans.
In the article, Sahloff looked at three studies that used preventative vaccines, which are designed to make healthy people immune to the virus. But how can they test this without purposely exposing people to HIV? "The vaccines were tested in high-risk sexual and IV drug users," he explained. In other words, the subjects were people who were at a higher risk for exposure. Sahloff concluded that two of the studies did not show the vaccines prevented transmission of the virus. The third study is ongoing.
As the hunt for an HIV vaccine continues, Sahloff believes the key will be to find out which component of the immune system will fight off the virus the most. "It's going to take money," he said. "I read a statistic that 1 percent of medical research money goes toward AIDS and HIV. The pharmacy companies — and they do a lot of good — don't put too much money into the vaccine. It's a long way off."
While the College of Pharmacy isn't properly equipped to allow investigators to work with HIV, Sahloff wants to continue looking at medications used to treat the virus through his work at the clinic. "We're just now learning about some of the long-term effects of the drugs on cholesterol, diabetes and the cardiovascular system," he said. "Many have been out for 10 years or less," meaning Sahloff will be on the front lines in new territory.
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