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AmFAR AnnouncesTwo Targete
Research Initiatives
4AmFAR is pleased to announce the recent issuance of two new targeted Requests For Pr
(RFPs) for scientific research in the areas of HIV vaccine development and immune systen..L.Lstitution. Grant support of up to $75,000 will be awarded for selected single projects an
$150,000 for collaborative efforts. All projects will have a one-year period of performance, w
possibility of renewal for a second year of work. Funding decisions on these two targeted initiati
be voted upon during AmFAR's Board of Directors meeting on December 12, 1997.
Vaccine Initiative (Request Closed August 1, 1997)
AmFAR invited proposals from the scientific community for the support of research projects
relevant to the development of a successful vaccine for the prevention of HIV infection. Thes
MI X include new or novel approaches to enhancing the qualitative and quantitative cellular and ai
immune responses, either systemically or in relevant mucosal areas. The approaches proposed may
example, the use of novel adjuvants or cytokines in conjunction with HIV antigens, or the evalua
new or not well-studied targets for developing protective immunity. AmFAR is also seeking studie
mechanisms of HIV antigen presentation and processing that will result in improved methods for
Overlookin Times Square in New Yot,Vning the cellular and antibody responses to HIV antigens, studies on the structure and characteriza
7heffler (left) of M and JayFaires of HIV antigens that will improve the understanding of immunogenicity-for example, studies
#eordpresent a checkfr more than $ 000 glycosylation of HIV antigens, and small well-characterized hypothesis-testing studies that will lea
to Dr.Matbilde Krim, Chairman ofthBord:.---increased understanding of the requirements for protective immunity.
AlL R.Thamntrepresents aport--~f h
proeds from Volume 1 of theMTVBImmune Reconstitution in HIV Infection (Request Closed September 5, 1
a a p o o b t wRecommended study areas in the restoration of immune function include the exploration of
nisms to facilitate extrathymic generation of T cells from precursor cells; exploration of inn:-71996. N sapproaches to therapy that potentially will both control HIV replication and restore or maintain
m e tfunction; the role of peripheral lymphoid tissue in promoting antigen-responsive T cells; innovative
nisms to enhance CD4 + T lymphocyte diversity and function; and innovative mechanisms to exp
number and function of memory vs. naive CD4+ T cells.
(Continued on p
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From the very beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, AmFAR has supported
basic biomedical research, first to discover the cause of AIDS, then to find
ways to treat HIV infection and the complications of infection. With the
recent progress in research in these areas, it is time to address the need for a
preventive AIDS vaccine. AmFAR has addressed this need by adding a vaccine research initiative to its research programs.
Unlike other viral infections for which there are effective vaccines, the
unique properties of HIV make it a singularly difficult target for vaccine
development. The primary target for vaccine development has been the
outer coat of the virus, which is constantly changing through mutations,
staying a step ahead of any single vaccine preparation. The primary means
of transmission of the virus is through sexual contact and thus, protection
may require high levels of antibodies or killer T cells to be produced at the
site of infection, not simply in the blood. There are major variations of HIV,
suggesting that more than one vaccine may be necessary. This virus attacks
the very cells of the body that are necessary for a protective immune response. While these are obstacles to vaccine research, they are not insurmountable.
Primary prevention strategies, led by extensive vaccination campaigns,
have been the only means by which any viral disease has ever been
eradicated. Currently, very effective antiretroviral therapies have been
developed against HIV, permitting us to believe that HIV will be a chronic,
but manageable, disease. Yet the cost of and access to these and future
therapies is of grave concern. Even something as simple as a brief course of
AZT for the prevention of mother-to-infant transmission of HIV is prohibitive in some settings, such as in developing countries. Further, HIV can
become resistant to the most potent combination therapy. For these reasons
and others, AmFAR recognizes that a protective vaccine is desperately needed.
The success of past research is clearly evident in new data reported by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1997, for the first time
in the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, a decrease in AIDS-related mortality occurred, and AIDS is no longer the primary cause of death among
males between the ages 25 to 40. These results are attributed to many
factors, among them, increased access to both approved and experimental
drugs. From November 1995 to November 1997, seven new antiretroviral
agents were approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat HIV
infection, including four protease inhibitors that, together with reverse

transcriptase inhibitors, dramatically alter the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection. For the first time, in 1997, we've heard about
"undetectable" viral load following treatment, and sustained increases in CD4 +
T cell counts. In addition, there are new drugs under evaluation to prevent
and treat the complications of HIV-opportunistic infections, malignancy,
and wasting.
But the benefits from these approaches have not reached all populations,
and as the number of individuals living with HIV infection increases, the
urgent need for an HIV vaccine also increases. Success in finding new treatments to control HIV infection has indirectly emphasized the need for a
vaccine to prevent infection because prolonged antiretroviral treatment with
combination drugs has resulted in increasing concerns about viral resistance
and drug toxicity. Victory over HIV infection will never be achieved without
a preventive vaccine. The development of a safe, effective and readily accessible vaccine represents the ultimate research battlefront.
AmFAR has carried out an assessment of its vaccine research sponsored in
past years, which we then used as a benchmark for evaluating our new program strategy. We have recently released two new targeted initiatives, one
targeting HIV vaccine development, and a second targeting immune reconstitution research, and we have recommitted ourselves and our organization to
AmFAR's historic strategy of taking scientific risks. In addition, we have
expanded the latest edition of the AIDS/HIV Treatment Directory to include
comprehensive reporting on preventive AIDS vaccines in development, information on clinical trial protocols for vaccine candidates, and the locations for
these studies. This section of the Directory is designed to assist individuals in
making decisions about their participation in AIDS vaccine clinical trials. And
finally, we have put together this special edition of the Newsletter to give you,
our loyal supporters, a comprehensive look at other initiatives we are taking
to end this terrible epidemic.
In a special report in SCIENCE magazine of June 28, Howard Hughes
Investigator Dr. Barry Bloom explicitly stated what we've all observed over a
decade of HIV research: "The easy vaccines have already been made: AIDS
vaccines represent a formidable scientific challenge."
With your continued support, AmFAR stands prepared to meet that
challenge.

ArthurJ. Ammann, M.D., President