Hiv cure news 2019
Here are some notable HIV cure-related news stories from 2019:
- First-ever HIV cure using stem cells: In March 2019, a team of scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced that they had successfully cured a patient with HIV using stem cells. The patient, a 30-year-old man, had been living with HIV for 10 years and had undergone a stem cell transplant as part of a clinical trial. The transplant involved replacing his bone marrow with stem cells from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation that confers natural resistance to HIV. The patient has remained HIV-free for over two years after the transplant.
- Breakthrough in HIV cure research: In June 2019, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a breakthrough in HIV cure research. They had discovered a new way to eliminate HIV-infected cells from the body using a combination of gene editing and immunotherapy. The approach, known as CRISPR-Cas9, involves using a gene editing tool to delete the HIV genome from infected cells, and then using immunotherapy to stimulate the immune system to attack and eliminate any remaining HIV-infected cells.
- HIV cure trial begins in the US: In July 2019, a clinical trial aimed at finding a cure for HIV began in the US. The trial, known as the "HIV Cure" trial, is being conducted by the NIH and involves treating patients with a combination of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a new experimental drug called lenalidomide. The goal of the trial is to determine whether the combination therapy can eliminate HIV from the body and prevent it from coming back.
- HIV cure breakthrough in mice: In August 2019, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) announced a breakthrough in HIV cure research in mice. They had developed a new approach that involved using a combination of gene editing and immunotherapy to eliminate HIV from the bodies of mice. The approach, known as CRISPR-Cas9, was able to eliminate HIV from the mice and prevent it from coming back.
- HIV cure research receives funding boost: In September 2019, the US government announced a significant funding boost for HIV cure research. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) received an additional $20 million to support research into HIV cure therapies, including gene editing and immunotherapy.
These are just a few examples of the many exciting developments in HIV cure research that took place in 2019. While there is still much work to be done, these breakthroughs offer hope for a future where HIV is no longer a life-threatening disease.