UN Study: It’s Time To Reassess Where We Stand With An HIV Vaccine
According to a recent United Nations study, HIV infection rates among high-risk groups such as gays, drug users and sex workers are on the rise around the world. U.N. AIDS agency chief Michel Sidibe is saying the increase may be due to worsening discrimination against these groups in certain countries. In the U.S., despite laws that are more tolerant of homosexuality, more than half of all new HIV infections in 2009 occurred among gay men, which Sidibe called "shocking." In the U.S., Sidibe said, "it seems like we have come full circle," and not in a good way. Contrary to what many perceive, HIV is not going away. These increases in HIV rates nationally and globally demand a renewed focus on how the international community can battle this pandemic. Mark J. Newman, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Development at GeoVax Labs, Inc., a biotechnology company focusing on developing vaccines to protect against or to treat diseases caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), believes now is a better time than ever to begin reassessing the importance not only of a preventative vaccine to address the high-risk population, but also of a therapeutic vaccine to keep those with active HIV from progressing to full-blown AIDS. Dr. Newman is available to discuss: About Dr. Mark J. Newman About GeoVax Labs, Inc. For further information about GeoVax Labs, Inc. please visit:www.geovax.com
Can vaccines curb the rising numbers of HIV cases?
What are the challenges of bringing a vaccine for HIV to market?
What has stalled progress and what does the future hold?
How is science harnessing the power of the immune system to fight HIV?
In a career spanning 30 years, Dr. Newman, was Vice President, Research and Development for PaxVax, Inc., prior to joining GeoVax. At PaxVax, he led research and preclinical development of Adenovirus vectored vaccine candidates. During his professional life he has worked on the development of HIV, influenza and cancer vaccines and led active programs on adjuvant and vaccine delivery technologies. Over the past 20 years he has served in various senior management roles within the biotechnology field with a focus on HIV/AIDS vaccines. He holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Ohio State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University. In his scientific career he has successfully secured peer-reviewed grants and contracts, is an inventor on seven issued patents, and an author of more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He has provided extensive service to the field of HIV/AIDS vaccines by serving on extramural panels for the review of US NIH-sponsored HIV/AIDS and vaccine research programs.
The ongoing research and development programs at GeoVax are focused on the clinical development of its DNA and MVA vaccines for the prevention and/or treatment of HIV/AIDS. It is developing two clinical pathways for its vaccine candidates, as a preventative vaccine to prevent development of AIDS in healthy individuals who are exposed to the HIV virus and as a therapeutic vaccine to prevent development of AIDS in those individuals who have already been infected with the HIV virus.
Source: GeoVax Labs
