Aids vaccine 'ready in five years'

Scientists will today announce that an Aids vaccine could be ready for use in five years.

The development is potentially the most important since the battle against the disease began more than 20 years ago and could save millions of lives.

The American company Vax-Gen is expected to tell the International Aids Conference in Barcelona, organised by the United Nations agency UNAids, that the vaccine could be in use in five years rather than the 10 years previously thought. Results from trials should be ready early next year.

Last week UNAids predicted that about 68 million people will die from Aids over the next 20 years and warned that urgent action is needed.

VaxGen is currently the only company with a potential vaccine going through end-stage trials. To be granted a licence it will have to show the vaccine is effective in at least a third of patients.

Huge strides have been made in the western world in recent years, with new drug treatments delivering major benefits for those infected with HIV, and deaths falling dramatically. But the number of new infections, particularly in Africa, is still worryingly high.

At the conference's opening session yesterday, UNAids head Dr Peter Piot said that politicians who did not take the fight against the disease seriously should be put out of office. He said: "Let's bring forward the day when leaders who keep their promises on Aids are rewarded with our trust and those who don't, lose their jobs to those who will."

The conference will also hear calls for richer countries to do more to help the developing world tackle the disease. The World Health Organisation estimates that $10 billion is needed annually to fight Aids. At present, $3 billion is spent.

Dr Piot said: "In western countries, half a million people are being treated for the disease and last year there were 25,000 deaths. In Africa, 30,000 people are being treated and there were 2.2 million deaths last year. That clearly shows the inequalities."