A Phase I Multicenter Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of HIV-1 Recombinant Envelope Glycoprotein gp160

To evaluate the safety and immune response to 160 mcg HIV-1 recombinant envelope glycoprotein gp160. To evaluate the duration of antibody response and its relationship to dose and frequency of inoculation. Evaluation of previous patients who received doses of 40 or 80 mcg gp160 vaccine indicate that, although serum anti-gp160 antibody responses were detected, the level and duration of those responses were limited. A preliminary observation suggests that weak functional antibody responses may develop following the 18 month booster of 40 or 80 mcg; therefore, a dose of gp160 vaccine having potentially greater immunogenicity is of particular interest. Evaluation of previous patients who received doses of 40 or 80 mcg gp160 vaccine indicate that, although serum anti-gp160 antibody responses were detected, the level and duration of those responses were limited. A preliminary observation suggests that weak functional antibody responses may develop following the 18 month booster of 40 or 80 mcg; therefore, a dose of gp160 vaccine having potentially greater immunogenicity is of particular interest. Healthy volunteers are injected on days 0, 30, 180, and 365 with either 160 mcg gp160 vaccine (20 volunteers) or an alum placebo preparation (10 volunteers).