New investigational vaccine to prevent hepatitis C tested for first time...( ST. LOUIS - With an estimated 170 milli...),Health

ST. LOUIS - With an estimated 170 million people around the world already infected with hepatitis C, Saint Louis University is testing, for the first time in humans, an investigational vaccine that researchers hope will prevent infection with the virus. The successful development of such a vaccine would represent a major step in combating this growing health problem.

Saint Louis University is the only site in the country conducting this pilot study.

"There is currently no licensed vaccine to protect against the hepatitis C virus," said Sharon Frey, M.D., principal investigator for the study and associate professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "Our research is important because infection with hepatitis C virus is a major health problem throughout the world. It is believed that 2.7 million Americans have chronic infection with this virus, and up to 170 million people may have chronic infection with hepatitis C virus throughout the world."

The purpose of this research is to study the safety and effectiveness of three different strengths of the Chiron Corporation's investigational hepatitis vaccine.

"This is the first time this hepatitis vaccine will be tested in humans," Frey said. "A vaccine to prevent the infection would be an important breakthrough in controlling the spread of the hepatitis C virus."

The study is being conducted by Saint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development (led by the division of infectious diseases and immunology) in collaboration with Saint Louis University Liver Center (led by the school's division of gastroenterology and hepatology). This research is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and Chiron.

Hepatitis C virus is a blood-borne infection that causes approximately 10,000 deaths annually and is responsible for almost half of the 4,000 liver transplants each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates medical and wo
'"/>

Contact: Joe Muehlenkamp
muehlenk@slu.edu
314-977-8015
Saint Louis University
17-Nov-2003

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Study suggests common use of investigational breast cancer test
2. Pharmacokinetic data presented at ICAAC on investigational HIV protease inhibitor 433908 (908)
3. Pitt marks 50th anniversary of its Salk polio vaccine with reunion, scientific symposium
4. NIAID initiates trial of experimental avian flu vaccine
5. Study finds majority of women willing to accept cervical cancer vaccine for self and children
6. Invasive pneumonia and antibiotic resistance decreased after childhood vaccine introduced
7. Earlier use of prostate cancer vaccines urged by Hopkins scientists
8. Researchers close in on breast cancer vaccine
9. EuroVacc 02 HIV vaccine trial begins in February 2005
10. Varicella vaccine effective on chicken pox; Impact on herpes zoster unclear
11. Pathogen-mimicking vaccine as strategy for cancer therapy