New Aids Vaccine Works On Chimpanzees

A novel vaccine has protected two chimpanzees that were deliberately injected with the AIDS virus, scientists said Tuesday.

The experiments involved a vaccine made by incorporating weakened genes from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The experimental vaccine, which is based on DNA, is also being tested on humans, but it is too early for any meaningful results, said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Many vaccines and other therapies that work in animals fail in humans, and it is far from certain that scientists yet possess the knowledge to develop an effective AIDS vaccine for humans.