¡¡BANGKOK, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Failure of the phase III trial of AidsVax, a vaccine produced by US-based VaxGen Incorporation, to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Bangkok will not affect the current trial of HIV/AIDS vaccines in the eastern provinces of Chonburi and Rayong, according to a senior Public Health Ministry official.

    M.D. Charal Trinvuthipong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, was quoted by Thai News Agency on Friday as saying that the failure of AidsVax, announced by the US manufacturer earlier this week, would not affect the Ministry of Public Health's continued trial of HIV/AIDS vaccines in the country.

    The AidsVax was tested on 2,546 volunteers who were injecting drugs users visiting rehabilitation clinics in Bangkok between 1999-2003.

    During the trial, 105 volunteers who received placebos became infected with HIV; while 106 volunteers who received at least one injection of the AidsVax vaccine later became infected, reported the US manufacturing company.

    The annualized infection rate in placebo and vaccine recipients was 3.1 percent, stated the company's report.

    The AidsVax vaccine appeared to be ineffective in preventing HIV, or in slowing the progress of the deadly AIDS disease among those who received the vaccine, according to the report.

    Results of the trial are being analyzed and reviewed by scientists from the Bangkok Vaccine Evaluation Group, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and VaxGen Incorporation itself. Enditem