VaxGen, Inc. Celebrates AIDS Vaccine Day;
Events Around the Country Honor Volunteers
Brisbane, CA — May 18, 1999 — In honor of the Second Annual AIDS Vaccine Day, VaxGen, Inc. would like to thank the volunteers in our Phase III clinical trials of AIDSVAXTM. Their invaluable contribution to HIV vaccine research is helping bring us closer to our goal: developing a safe and effective vaccine to prevent HIV, a virus that infects an estimated 16,000 people a day worldwide.
On May 18, 1997, President Clinton issued a challenge to the world to develop a safe and effective vaccine to prevent HIV by the year 2007 – projecting it as one of the first and most significant medical advances of the new millennium. These comments inspired the declaration of an annual event designed to recognize the compelling need for the advancement of HIV vaccine research.
“We at VaxGen are proud to honor our clinical trials volunteers who are lending their bodies to science in order to help develop an HIV vaccine,” said Donald Francis, M.D., President of VaxGen. “As a volunteer, myself, in one of our own trials, I recognize the critical role volunteers play in vaccine research and I would like to recognize the contribution made by this small group of pioneers.”
VaxGen is currently conducting two large-scale Phase III clinical trials of its AIDSVAX vaccines, one in North America and one in Thailand. The North American trial will eventually include over
5,000 volunteers at risk of contracting HIV through sexual transmission and is currently being conducted at 58 clinics. The Thai trial will eventually include 2,500 volunteers at high-risk of
contracting HIV from intravenous drug use. The trial is being conducted at 17 drug treatment clinics in Bangkok.
People interested in volunteering for the trial may call toll free (877) 6-VAXGEN for further
information.
VaxGen, Inc., headquartered in Brisbane, CA, is developing preventive vaccines for worldwide use
against HIV.
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Contact: Nicole Lynch
VaxGen, Inc.
(650) 624-1065
Additional information is available on our web site at:
vaxgen.com |
