Wednesday, April 20 2005 11:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Upbeat at the successful completion of clinical trial of HIV/AIDS vaccine on first 10 volunteers at Pune, India's apex medical body, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) says if things go right the antidote for the dreaded disease would be available in the market five years from now.

"The Adeno Associated Vector Borne Vaccine (AV), which went into Phase I trials in Pune has been completed in 10 volunteers and their safety profile is very good," ICMR Director General Dr N K Ganguly told sources.

"If things go right, the vaccine should be available in the market in five years from now," he said.

The trial in India is part of a multi-country initiative of the same vaccine candidate. Trials are already on in Germany and Belgium and initial results have given excellent safety data.

The profile of these volunteers will undergo necessary evaluation before the next 10 cases are taken up for the trials, Ganguly said.

"Ultimately 30 volunteers will be included in the first phase. Looking at the immunological response of these volunteers, it would be decided after a year whether to go in the next phase or not," he said, adding for the first 10 volunteers, the immunological safety profile is very good.

As of now, India has five million people infected with AIDS virus. Ganguly said number wise the figure is very large, although percentage wise, India is nowhere near the African countries.

In most of the regions of the country, it has been contained with one percentage, which gives great credit to India as it has been able to keep this infection not moving in the larger profile as seen in Africa, said Ganguly.

The vaccine is designed to target HIV subtype C, the most common strain found in India accounting for over 90 per cent cases, Ganguly said adding "for the clinical trial of second vaccine called 'MVA' in Chennai, we have sought clearance from Genetic Engineering and Approval Committee, which hopefully we would get in a month's time."

The MVA vaccine is scheduled to go on Phase I trial between May and July this year, he said.