A potential valley fever vaccine that is proving successful in lab animals could be tested on humans as soon as next year, researchers announced Wednesday at Cal State Bakersfield. The vaccine, the product of collaborative efforts by five valley fever researchers, was 100 percent effective in protecting mice from the fungal disease in a study. It also appears to be triggering an immune response in primates, said Richard Hector, director of the Valley Fever Vaccine Project, in a presentation to benefactors, physicians and CSUB officials.

"We believe the vaccine is in hand," Hector said.

The project is a research organization dedicated to finding a vaccine, which originated in Bakersfield. The CSUB Foundation serves as the project's fiscal agent.

Confidence about the possible vaccine led project leaders to enter into an agreement with the University of Nebraska last week to produce batches of the vaccine in large enough amounts to be used for human trials.

The vaccine was created by identifying two proteins that trigger an immune response in animals from the fungus that causes valley fever.

Scientists fused the DNA of the two proteins to create a new gene. When that new gene is put in a yeast formula, it creates a new protein, which is the basis for the vaccine.

The news of the vaccine was heartening to many of those gathered, including Duane Blume who invited the five valley researchers to Bakersfield 10 years ago. Within days, the scientists took the unusual step of agreeing to share their data with each other in hopes of designing a valley fever vaccine.

"I heard for the first time today that they had a vaccine," Blume said. "I'm just so excited to think what we started in '93 may have such significant benefits."

Blume, now retired from Cal State, where he taught biology, requested money for the vaccine project from hundreds of foundations. The California Healthcare Foundation came forward with more than $1 million toward the cause and has donated more than $6.6 million overall.

The project has received about the same amount from the California Department of Health Services with state Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, serving as the project's primary legislative advocate.

Presenters praised U.S. Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield, who was there on Wednesday, for a grant he helped secure from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worth more than $725,000.

"Without this funding, the project would be in neutral right now," Hector said.

But he was quick to say that more money is needed. The project expects to spend $2.4 million in 2004-06, but does not have funding secured yet.

The budget covers dollars for additional scientific tests including the primate trials, regulatory expenses for applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a human safety trial. The biggest expense by far is manufacturing costs, totaling more than $1.3 million.

One potential funding source is the National Institutes of Health, which is seeking applications for vaccine projects for biological agents that could be used for bioterrorism.

The fungus that causes valley fever, Coccidioides immitis, has been considered a potential biological threat by the U.S. Department of Defense since the 1950s. Project officials will try to make a case for the fungus' bioterrorism abilities in order to get the cash.