Phase I Safety and Immunogenicity Vaccine Trial Against HIV/AIDS

Inclusion Criteria: * Negative pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential within 3 days prior to baseline evaluation and use of an acceptable means of contraception (condom, hormonal or mechanical method) for one month prior to immunization and the duration of the study; * Clinically asymptomatic HIV-1 infected individuals (CDC Clinical category A), as determined by two positive Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a confirmatory Western Blot; * Mean CD4+ T cell count \>= 400 cells/microL based on 2 separate determinations, at least 2 weeks apart, within the four weeks pre-study screening period. \[Note: If one of the two values is \< 400 the patient will be excluded. Patients ever having had a value of CD4+ T cell number \< 250 will be excluded\]; * Plasma HIV-1 viremia levels \<= 50,000 copies/mL; * Complete blood count and differential defined as: * Hematocrit \>= 30% for women, \>= 38% for men * Hemoglobin \>= 9.5 g/dL * White cell counts \>= 4,000 cells/mm3 * Total lymphocyte count \>= 1000 cells/mm3 * Platelets \>= 100,000/mm3 * Differential within institutional normal limits or approval of site physician * Normal ALT (as defined by the range of the clinical site laboratories) and Creatinine (\<= 1.6 mg/dL); * Normal urine dipstick with esterase and nitrite; * Normal thyroid function; * Availability for follow-up for planned duration of at least 12 months and willing to have further brief evaluations at 24 and 36 months; * Signed informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * History of AIDS-related opportunistic or neoplastic disease; * History of encephalopathy, neuropathy, or unstable CNS pathology (HIV or non-HIV related); * History of non-HIV related neoplastic diseases, autoimmune diseases, angina or cardiac arthymias, or any other clinically significant medical problems; * Chest radiography showing evidence of active or acute cardiac or pulmonary disease; * History of anaphylaxis or serious adverse reactions to vaccines as well as serum IgE levels exceeding 1000 U.I./mL; * History of serious allergic reaction to any substance, requiring hospitalization or emergent medical care (e.g. Steven-Johnson syndrome, bronchospasm, or hypotension); * Active syphilis \[NOTE. If the serology is documented to be a false positive or due to an adequately treated infection, the volunteer is eligible\]; * Active tuberculosis \[NOTE: Volunteers with a positive PPD and a normal chest X-ray showing no evidence of TB and not requiring isoniazid (INH) therapy are eligible\]; * Medical or psychiatric condition or occupational responsibilities which preclude subject compliance with the protocol. Specifically excluded are persons with psychotic disorders, major affective disorders, suicidal ideation; * Current use of psychotrophic drugs; * Use of antiretroviral therapy within 3 months of pre-study screening. * Use of any experimental HIV therapy or participation in another experimental protocol within three (3) months of pre-study screening; * Current or prior therapy with immunomodulators or immunosuppressive drugs and anticoagulant drugs within 30 days prior to study medication administration; * Any unstable cardio-vascular disease (e.g unstable hypertensive disease needing modification or introduction of an anti-hypertensive treatment); * Live attenuated vaccines within 60 days of study \[NOTE: Medically indicated sub-unit or killed vaccines (e.g., influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis A and B) are not exclusionary, but should be given at least 4 weeks away from HIV immunizations\]; * Receipt of blood products or immunoglobulin in the past year; * Prior receipt of HIV-1 vaccine in a previous HIV vaccine trial; * Positivity for HBV antigens (HBs Ag, HBe Ag), and HCV, HTLV-I and HTLV-II antibodies; * Positivity for HHV-8 antibodies and plasmaviremia (volunteers will be screened for anti-HHV-8 antibodies and positivity confirmed by PCR, only the individuals confirmed positive by PCR will be excluded); * Pregnant or lactating women.