A new Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) vaccine, Teravac-HIV-1, which has successfully been tested on mice and set to be tried out on humans, has been unveiled in Cuba.

According to the head of the biotech research team that designed the vaccine, Enrique Iglesias, Tervac-HIV-1 was developed from a recombinant protein with virus-like particles, which stimulate an immune response.

 

He noted that the vaccine has been presented to more than 600 scientists from 38 countries attending the 24th International Biotech Congress in the country.

 

Mr. Iglesias disclosed that the testing which will initially involve a small and controlled group of AIDS patients in the primary stages of the disease only represents a clinical trial, thus expectations should not go beyond that.

In his words, “The trials are to measure the safety of the vaccine…developing a possible vaccine requires many years of laboratory research before discovering something that can be tested on humans.”

 

About 15,400 registered AIDS patients live in Cuba currently, making it one of the countries with the lowest rate of infection worldwide.

Cuban health officials say its government invests more than $200 million a year on prevention programs and medical care for AIDS patients.