Yet another failed monkey 'model' of HIV signals need for replacements

3 March 2009

A recent article in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences1 reports that scientists have created a strain of the human HIV virus able to infect monkeys. The researchers genetically altered the human HIV virus to create stHIV-1 to infect pig-tailed macaques. However, just like the SIV ‘model’ before it, this latest version is not an effective surrogate for human HIV as the primates do not go on to develop AIDS and infection only persists for a few months.

“Studying the wrong infection in the wrong species is not the best way forward for HIV research.” says the Dr Hadwen Trust’s Nicky Gordon. “The creation of yet another artificial HIV-like virus to infect monkeys is unlikely to deliver what it promises.”

Over the last 25 years, more than 50 monkey-tested HIV vaccines have failed in human trials, none have succeeded........

Source: Yet another failed monkey 'model' of HIV signals need for replacements