Adelaide researchers claim breakthrough in tackling HIV and hepatitis C with DNA vaccine

March 2014

South Australian researchers claim they have made a significant breakthrough in tackling HIV and hepatitis C, using a new type of DNA vaccine which protects against the viruses and could possibly provide a cure in five years.

Adelaide University's Professor Eric Gowans says the vaccine has already had positive results in animals, with human trials to start next year.

"DNA vaccines in general have enormous potential, but haven't worked very well in large animals and in patients," he said.

"They work very nicely in mice and we've developed a protocol and a technique that simplifies the whole process and makes a DNA vaccine very much more effective in large animals."

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