Scientists are hoping they may soon be able to print pharmaceutical labels for an Aids cure after a breakthrough in research.

A team at the Oregon Science and Health University have developed an experimental vaccine that has been shown to eradicate the disease in macaque monkeys.

It involves the injection of the virus CMV, which puts the body's immune system on alert for the HIV virus that causes Aids and allows it to be destroyed.

There were found to be no traces of the monkey form of the HIV virus or of Aids in a test group that was given the new vaccine, even a year after they were injected.

Team leader Dr Louis Picker said: "The next step in vaccine development is to test the vaccine candidate in clinical trials in humans."

It is hoped the new vaccine could replace the current antiretroviral drugs used on HIV sufferers.

According to the NHS, 83,000 people were living with HIV in the UK at the end of 2008.

Denny Bros Ltd, 12 May 2011