David B. Weiner PhD

Dr. Weiner’s research focus is in the area of Molecular Immunology. His group has focused extensively on the development of gene-based vaccines, immune therapies and molecular interventions for the treatment of human and animal disease. His laboratory is one of the founders of the field of DNA vaccines, and importantly, was the first to move DNA vaccines to human clinical studies establishing their initial safety and immunogenicity opening up this area for clinical development. First study in HIV immune therapy conducted in 1995, and first immune therapy for cancer (CTCL) in 1995. The first DNA trial in normal healthy HIV+ patients occurred in 1997.

Other clinical trials of DNA, conducted in collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) are: HVTN 070, study of DNA vaccine against HIB including cytokine genes, and HVTN 080, study of DNA vaccine for HIV by adaptive electroporation with IL12. In 2009, collaboration with a biotechnology company resulted in VGX 3100, a study of a DNA vaccine for cervical cancer and immune therapy.