HeLa cells were used by Jonas Salk to test the first polio vaccine in the 1950s. They were observed to be easily infected by poliomyelitis, causing infected cells to die. This made HeLa cells highly desirable for polio vaccine testing since results could be easily obtained. A large volume of HeLa cells were needed for the testing of Salk's polio vaccine, prompting the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) to find a facility capable of mass-producing HeLa cells. In the spring of 1953, a cell culture factory was established at Tuskegee University to supply Salk and other labs with HeLa cells.
SAV001 a feasible option for an HIV vaccine. Indeed, Jonas Salk developed a therapeutic HIV vaccine in 1987, called Remune now being developed by Immune Response BioPharma, Inc., is based on the killed whole virus approach. Remune vaccine has completed over 25 clinical studies to date and showed a robust mechanism of action restoring white blood cell counts in CD4 & CD8 T cells by reducing viral load and increasing immunity. Also, a group of researchers and professionals in the field of HIV strongly advocates that the killed HIV approach must be taken to fight back the global HIV and AIDS