A phase Ib partially blinded pilot study to evaluate the safety and immunological effects of PENNVAX-B with or without co-administration of constructs containing DNA encoding for the expression of either IL-12 or IL-15. Primary objectives 1. To determine the safety of HIV-1 DNA constructs (PENNVAX-B). 2. To determine the safety and optimal doses of the IL-12 and the IL-15 adjuvant constructs when given with PENNVAX-B. Secondary objectives 1. To compare the various vaccine groups for their immunological responses to several HIV-1 antigens, utilizing the ELISPOT assay. 2. To analyze antibody responses to the vaccine antigens over time. 3. To measure CD8 cell proliferative responses to vaccine antigens over time.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
38
PENNVAX-B is a cocktail of three expression plasmids. The plasmids include the genes which encode a synthetic HIV-1 envelope protein (pEY2E1-B), Gag (gagCAM02), and Pol (pK2C1). Each plasmid is manufactured to a concentration of 4.0 mg/mL and is formulated with bupivacaine (0.25%) as a facilitating agent for DNA uptake. All plasmids (2.0 mg each gag, pol, env) are premixed by the manufacturer in the same vial.
GENEVAX IL-12-4532 This molecular adjuvant plasmid contains nucleotide sequences necessary for expression of the human IL-12 protein. IL-12 DNA is formulated at a concentration of 2.0 mg/mL with bupivacaine (0.25%).
PLACEBO
pIL15EAM is a plasmid that encodes human IL-15 and has been optimized to express 87 fold higher than native IL-15 DNA and 5.7 fold higher than an earlier generation optimized IL-15 DNA construct. This plasmid is formulated at a concentration of 4.0 mg/mL with bupivacaine (0.25%).
University of Pennsylvania. Clinical Trials Unit
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Frequency of adverse events in each of the treatment arms
Time frame: Time of each vaccination, 2 weeks after vaccinations 3 and 4 and at the completion of the study.
Antigen specific cellular and humoral immune response.
Time frame: 2 weeks following the third and fourth vaccinations
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