New York, Nov 25: In a bid to find a cure for the deadly HIV/AIDS disease, researchers are developing 83 new medicines, all of which are either in human trials or awaiting approval of regulators, a new survey showed. The new medicines being developed include 15 vaccines, considered crucial in prevention and control of the disease in countries throughout the world, including India, the survey by the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers (PHRMA) said.
"In addition to the 80 medicines already approved, these new medicines in the pipeline demonstrate the pharmaceutical research industry's commitment to combat this terrible scourge that afflicts patients all over the world," said PHRMA president Alan F Holmer. "We'll continue until we've conquered the disease."
One of the vaccines in development is designed to induce different types of immune responses to the virus. The first dose primes the body to induce cellular immunity, while the booster dose induces neutralising antibodies.
Another vaccine candidate combines DNA snippets from the aids virus with a protein that boosts the immune response. The aim is not to prevent infection but to limit the damage the virus causes.
Because drug research is risky and at the cutting edge of science, not all of these 83 medicines in development will ultimately be approved for patients, the survey said. However, some of these medicines will advance the state of the art for treating HIV/AIDS, it added.
Bureau Report