Back HIV Treatment Search for a Cure

Search for a Cure

Sangamo Reports Zinc Finger Gene Therapy Leads to Long-term CD4 Cell Gains, Shrinking HIV Reservoirs

An experimental gene therapy technique that modifies CD4 T-cells to protect them from viral entry produced lasting CD4 cell increases with a single infusion, as well as reduction in proviral DNA reservoirs and decreased viral load in 2 patients who underwent antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption, according to data presented this week at the 16th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy in Salt Lake City.

alt

Read more:

Very Early Antiretroviral Therapy Does Not Prevent Immune Activation

People who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) during acute HIV infection and experienced sustained viral suppression saw a substantial decrease in immune activation markers on their CD8 T-cells after 2 years of treatment, but often not to the level seen in HIV negative individuals, according to a report in the April 15, 2013, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

alt

Read more:

CROI 2013: Antiretroviral Therapy Intensification plus IL-7 Does Not Reduce HIV Reservoir

 An intensive antiretroviral regimen containing raltegravir (Isentress) and maraviroc (Selzentry) plus the immune-modulator interleukin 7 (IL-7) was unable to decrease the amount of residual HIV in resting CD4 T-cells, investigators with the ERAMUNE-01 trial reported at the recent 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2013) in Atlanta.

alt

Read more:

CROI 2013: Gene Therapy Studies Show Potential for HIV Control without Drugs

Modified immune cells that make their own fusion inhibitors reduce levels of HIV-like virus and resisted infection in animal and test tube studies, researchers reported at the 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2013) last month in Atlanta.

alt

Read more:

French Cohort of HIV+ People Treated Early Appear to Control Virus

A group of French HIV patients who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) during the earliest stage of infection appear to be controlling the virus despite prolonged treatment interruption, according to a recent report in PLoS Pathogens. While the findings do not represent a cure, they may offer insight to help certain people with HIV achieve a "functional cure," or periods off treatment without disease progression.

alt

Read more: