THE first clinical trial of an HIV/Aids vaccine designed and developed in South Africa was launched in Cape Town today (July 20).

Anthony MBewu, president of the Medical Research Council, said the development of the vaccines were a giant leap for science and technology in South Africa.

“We have had many clinical trials of HIV vaccines in SA over the past 10 years but this is the first using a vaccine that was designed in this country, ” MBewu said.

The vaccine was developed by scientists at the University of Cape Town. The trial aims to determine the immune response of HIV negative people to the two experimental vaccines.

The vaccines are known as SAAVI DNA-C2 and SAAVI MVA -C.

MBewu said developing a vaccine against HIV was a greater challenge than putting a man on the moon.

“The wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation on earth, the United States, took ten years to achieve the success of the Apollo 11 moon landing, but it will take our global vaccine enterprise many more than 10 years and billions of dollars of investment to develop a successful HIV vaccine.”