The Union Announces A Successful Trial Of A TB Candidate Vaccine To Prevent Tuberculosis Among HIV-infected Patients

Main Category: Tuberculosis
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Immune System / Vaccines;  Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 27 Oct 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), an international organisation established in 1920 to fight TB and promote lung health worldwide, today announces the successful results of a TB candidatevaccine trial for HIV-infected patients.

As a fact, Tuberculosis and HIV are inextricably intertwined since the risk of developing tuberculosis in persons carrying HIV is a lifetime risk. HIV infection greatly increases the risk of active tuberculosis in persons who carry the mycobacterium tuberculosis. Today, one in five HIV-infected persons who have a very severely weakened immune system, can develop active TB within a 12-month period, this being an extraordinarily high risk.

Investigators from Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) in the United States and from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Tanzania reported in Paris at the 39th Union World Conference on Lung Health of The Union on the successful trial of a new vaccine against tuberculosis. The researchers described a placebo-controlled seven year efficacy trial among 2000 HIV-infected subjects, showing that those who received the vaccine had a reduced rate of tuberculosis.

The study called "DarDar study" was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania under the direction of Drs. Lillian Mtei and Kisali Pallangyo of MUHAS.

Dr. Pallangyo declared, "This is a very encouraging development in the global efforts aimed at improving the lives of millions of people co-infected with HIV and mycobacterium tuberculosis, a common problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The research has also demonstrated that international collaboration between industrialized and developing countries in addressing an international problem can be done successfully."

Dr. Ford von Reyn, Professor of Medicine at DMS in New Hampshire and Principal Investigator of the study added, "Because tuberculosis is the most common cause of death among persons with HIV in most resource-limited areas of the world, our research group was focused on developing an improved TB vaccine specifically for patients with HIV infection. We are delighted that the vaccine was shown to be effective." The study which started in 2001 was sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (US). The vaccine, now known as Mycobacterium vaccae, is an inactivated whole cell vaccine and was given to study every three months to detect cases of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis researchers and representatives from tuberculosis programs around the world attended the scientific presentation in Paris today and were enthusiastic about the possibility of a new approach to preventing tuberculosis in patients with HIV-TB co-infection.

Dr. Nils Billo, Executive Director of The Union, also commented: "Today over 14 million people are co-infected with HIV-TB and a large proportion of this community will develop active tuberculosis if there are no effective interventions. HIV associated to TB is a potentially lethal disease and ways to prevent this from occurring are very much awaited. Therefore, an announcement of a potential vaccine to prevent TB in HIV-infected persons is most exciting and promising for HIV-infected patients".

To join The Union in promoting lung health, please visit our website: http://www.iuatld.org

About The Union

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, known as The Union, is the only international voluntary scientific organisation with partners in all regions providing a neutral platform to fight TB, HIV, asthma, tobacco and lung disease. The Union was established in 1920 as a federation of national associations, and today provides direct field assistance to over 75 countries, conducts clinical trials and organises international conferences and training courses. It also publishes The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD), which is the reference for clinical research and epidemiological studies on tuberculosis. Among its international initiatives, it manages the grants programme for the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, as well as the FIDELIS Fund for Innovative DOTS Expansion through Local Initiatives to Stop TB, and many others.

For further information, please visit our web site at: http://www.iuatld.org

Source
Roxanne Van Gelder
Director of Communications
The Union