A METHOD OF EVALUATING RECOMBINANT VACCINES AGAINST IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS

摘要

This invention relates to recombinant pox viruses capable of expressing simian immunodeficiency viral antigens and eliciting protective immune response against SIV. The invention further pertains to a non-human primate model system using macaque monkeys, that serves to evaluate the effectiveness with which recombinant pox virus expressing SIV antigens can protect macaques against acquiring and developing simian AIDS. The importance of the non-human primate model system and methods for generating recombinant pox viruses containing SIV genes and their HIV counter-parts lies in the development of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing a combination of HIV-1 genes or epitopes which will afford total, long term protection against HIV-1 infection in humans. Use of the animal model system of the present invention for vaccine evaluation will enable vaccines to be prepared for use in human trails.