Political Economy of AIDS Vaccine Trial in India

[Guest guest]

Political Economy of AIDS Vaccine Trial in India

The Indian AIDS Vaccine researchers need to be more forthcoming in disclosing

the commercial details of the deal between the Targeted Genetics and Indian

Council of Medical Research (ICMR) brokered by International AIDS Vaccine

Initiative (IAVI).

It appears that the full commercial details of the AIDS Vaccine trial brokered

by IAVI for the US Pharmaceutical company, Targeted Genetics is not yet

disclosed to the Indian public. Such a public disclosure is particularly

important as Mr. Kapil Sibal, Minister of Science and Technology, and Ocean

Development, Government of India is on the board of directors of IAVI.

Repeated call for a " White paper " on AIDS Vaccine trials engineered by IAVI in

India has been ignored by the Indian office of the IAVI so far.

The Targeted Genetics Corporation has entered into a collaboration and license

agreement with the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and its

collaborators, in support of the development and commercialization of HIV/AIDS

vaccines. The new agreement supersedes a previous collaboration agreement

entered into by Targeted Genetics, IAVI and its partners in 2000.

According to the information from the Targeted Genetics, the vaccine candidate,

tgAAC09, utilizes a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) that was

developed with and manufactured by Targeted Genetics.

IAVI is funding development, pre-clinical and clinical studies to test the

vaccine, including the clinical trials in India.

The Targeted Genetics' AAV manufacturing process is based on a cell line which

was designed by Dr. Philip R. .

As an immediate response to the announcement of AIDS Vaccine trial in India,

the stock value of Targeted genetics (Nasdaq:TGEN) has increased 5.78%.

Knowingly or unknowingly, what ICMR is doing is just a contract research for

IAVI.

" To date, IAVI has substantially funded Targeted Genetics' HIV/AIDS vaccine

program efforts, significantly exceeding IAVI's initial funding commitment made

to the program in 2000. Says the information released of the US share holders

of Targeted genetics

Under this new agreement, Targeted Genetics expects to continue to receive

significant funding from IAVI for the continued development of HIV/AIDS

vaccines for the developing world.

Targeted Genetics also received the rights to utilize the findings from the IAVI

funded program to develop and commercialize HIV/AIDS vaccines for both the

developed world and for any additional vaccine candidates.

Among other rights granted under the agreement, between IAVI and Targeted

Genetics, IAVI retains the exclusive rights for commercialization in the

developing world of any HIV/AIDS vaccine that is developed under the

collaboration, and will receive a

royalty on income received by Targeted Genetics from the development and

commercialization of vaccines.

Targeted Genetics will also issue company shares to IAVI.

Among other rights granted under this agreement, IAVI retains the exclusive

rights for commercialization in the developing world of any HIV/AIDS vaccine

that is developed under the collaboration, and will receive a royalty on income

received by Targeted Genetics from the development and commercialization of

vaccines. Targeted Genetics

will also issue IAVI a small number of shares of its common stock

It may be appropriate for Dr.P.R. Narayanan, Director, Tuberculosis Research

Centre (TRC) an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) institute who is

conducting the vaccine trial in Chennai, and Dr. V.Ramanathan, principal

investigator of the trial to disclose their conflict of interest in this trial .

Are they aware of the commercial details of the AIDS vaccine trial in India?

TRC collaborates with YRG Care and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative on

the project, conservatively estimated to cost at least one million USD and

expected to reap disproportionate financial benefits for the Targeted Genetics

and IAVI.

The ethics review committee members of Indian IAVI AIDS Vaccine research needs

to be much more proactive in understanding the ethical issues of commercial

details of the vaccines trial contract in India as well.

IAVI need to be more forth coming in disclosing their commercial interest in the

clinical trial in India. Any reluctance to disclose the commercial details of

the AIDS Vaccine trial in India is unethical.

For the sake of transparency, and accountability IAVI must release a " White

paper " on AIDS Vaccine trial in India.

Joe

Moderator

AIDS INDIA eFORUM

/

Reference:

Targeted Genetics Enters into New Agreement with the International Aids Vaccine

Initiative to Support Its Ongoing HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development

Program.28.06.2006 11:30:00

http://finanzen.net/news/news_detail.asp?NewsNr=409964