Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise issues road map to speed research

The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in the February edition of the journal PLoS Medicine issues guidelines to speed the development of an HIV vaccine, Reuters Health reports. The guidelines call for collaboration, a sharing of resources, and adherence to a single strategic focus. The enterprise was formed in June 2004 by the Group of Eight industrialized nations at a summit in Georgia and is closely linked with other organizations working in HIV vaccine research and development. Enterprise coordinating committee member Jose Esparza of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says the guidelines were developed because scientists "need a new game plan that brings more collaboration, a better exchange of information, and a more systematic approach to explore different vaccines." This game plan includes the development of a common set of criteria to determine which experimental vaccines should be tested and which of those should progress to large-scale human studies, according to the enterprise. The enterprise also plans to develop a system of core laboratories to serve as reference sources for "satellite labs," a global quality assurance system, and a common source of lab materials for all HIV vaccine researchers.