The trial was initiated as a result of a tripartite venture of ICMR, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), and NACO and began on February 7, 2005. India was one of the three countries chosen for this “multi-country trial.” To accommodate this trial, India amended its long-standing regulatory procedures. According to NARI, the trial ended safely and volunteers’ health “had not been compromised.” Paranjape told this newspaper that the trial helped scientists learn conducting and managing trials for an AIDS vaccine.

The vaccine tested was a biotechnologically tamed version of the living Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) scientifically named tgAAC09. It was sourced by India through the New York-based IAVI from a US pharmaceutical company Targeted Genetics.