$1 Billion in Profits From AIDS Seen

Financial speculators exploring business opportunities arising from AIDS figure that more than $1 billion in profits can be gained from vaccines and other treatments to fight the deadly disease.

About 100 investors and entrepreneurs met at a first-of-its-kind conference Monday to analyze potential drugs, discuss vaccines and air insurance problems and investment opportunities.

In addition, participants discussed the need for products to prevent the spread of the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome, especially to medical personnel who feel they are at risk.

“There is a tremendous opportunity in the AIDS market of a magnitude beyond anything we have now,” said Matthew Heil, a biotechnology consultant who spoke to business executives at the daylong conference.

“Look at vaccines, look at viral therapy,” he said. “An effective drug would bring, I believe, $1.6 billion back to the maker. Even spread among several drugs, that is a substantial amount of money.”

Two companies that organized the conference, specialists in seminars on business opportunities in health fields, said the meeting was not exploitative, but practical.