Meet The Scientist has a fascinating interview with David Knipe of Harvard University. Knipe is developing a vaccine against HSV-2.
Knipe discusses the challenges that researchers have faced in developing a vaccine against the virus, and explains why his new vaccine may be an answer. Knipe’s vaccine has been shown to protect animals who are yet to be exposed to the virus, and also reduce symptomatic disease in those who are already carrying the virus. Acambis are now developing the vaccine for clinical trials in humans.
Knipe also talks about the …

Some herpes carriers will be familiar with drugs like acyclovir and Valtrex. Both are antiviral drugs based on the same chemical. Both are used to control herpes. But it may surprise you to learn the basic ingredients of acyclovir-based antivirals have remained unchanged for more than twenty years, and in that time no commercially available drug has significantly improved on the original formula designed by Nobel-prize-winning biochemist Gertrude B. Elion.
Although acyclovir is an impressive drug with few side-effects, it is far from perfect. Carriers can still transmit herpes while taking …