Immune Response Corp. and Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc. onFriday reported that their therapeutic HIV vaccine stimulatesboth antibody and T cell responses in patients, according topreliminary evaluation of Phase II clinical trial data.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 60 HIV-positivebut asymptomatic patients was conducted to determine thevaccine's ability to stimulate an immune response at dosages ofbetween 50 micrograms and 400 micrograms. The vaccine usesa whole killed virus depleted of the gp120 outer envelope.

The companies are conducting a full statistical analysis of thedata, which they plan to present in July at the InternationalAIDS Conference in Amsterdam.

An ongoing Phase II/III study of 103 patients using multiplesurrogate markers will determine the drug's efficacy, acompany spokesman said. That study will end late this year. Aclinical end-point study is also planned, but no starting datehas been set for that trial.

Shares of San Diego-based Immune Response (NASDAQ:IMNR)rose 50 cents to $21.25.

-- Karen Bernstein BioWorld Staff

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.