Principal Investigator: Warren Dinges, MD PhD
Study Coordinator: Michelle Harder
Phone: 206-860-4761
Email: michelle.harder@polyclinic.com
What is a therapeutic vaccine?
Most vaccines are given to prevent a person from getting an illness. These are preventative (or prophylactic) vaccines. Therapeutic vaccines are made to help people who already have an illness do better by increasing their own body’s defenses (immune response). This study will be using an investigational therapeutic vaccine.
Will I get the HIV vaccine for sure?
2 out of 3 patients who volunteer in this study will get the vaccine and 1 out of 3 will get a placebo (saline or salt water). The placebo shows what happens if the vaccine was not given. You or your doctor will not be able to choose if you get the vaccine or the placebo.
Are there any risks in getting this vaccine?
In studies with volunteers who were not infected with HIV and a small number of HIV infected patients, this vaccine had the same type of side effects as other commonly used vaccines. Since this is an investigational vaccine, it is not possible to rule out all risks, but the most common side effects have been reactions at the vaccination site.
To be eligible for this study:
- You must be 18 to 55 years of age
- You must be HIV+ and have CD4 cells over 500
- You have not taken any HIV medication (antiretroviral therapy or ART) except for a short
term to prevent mother-to-child transmission) - You have no plans to start HIV medications during the next year
- Your doctor will tell you what else is required to join this research study
What can I expect if I meet the requirements to participate in this study?
- You will receive either the study vaccine or a placebo
- You will receive 3 vaccinations over 6 months
- You will receive study-related medical check-ups
- You will have blood drawn approximately 8 times over the 48 weeks of the study
- You will be reimbursed for the cost of travelling to the study visits