Researchers, breakthrough in finding a cure for HIV “within months”.

[allyb]

Researchers believe that there will be a breakthrough in finding a cure for HIV “within months”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10022664/Scientists-on-brink-of-HIV-cure.html


Danish scientists are expecting results that will show that “finding a mass-distributable and affordable cure to HIV is possible”.
They are conducting clinical trials to test a “novel strategy” in which the HIV virus is stripped from human DNA and destroyed permanently by the immune system.
The move would represent a dramatic step forward in the attempt to find a cure for the virus, which causes Aids.
The scientists are currently conducting human trials on their treatment, in the hope of proving that it is effective. It has already been found to work in laboratory tests.
The technique involves releasing the HIV virus from “reservoirs” it forms in DNA cells, bringing it to the surface of the cells. Once it comes to the surface, the body’s natural immune system can kill the virus through being boosted by a “vaccine”.

An interesting read.

“The challenge will be getting the patients’ immune system to recognise the virus and destroy it. This depends on the strength and sensitivity of individual immune systems.”

YES!!! with you on that one

Just seen a similar thread started by Gemini

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/virus-reservoirs-may-hold-key-to-hiv-cure.22527/

From the 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (3/15/2013).

but I couldn't open the link

 

[warriormom]

I am cautiously VERY optimistic about this! My daughter's former Dr., a DO, used to tell me that when they start figuring out how to really help HIV patients, it would also help those with ME/CFS......it made me wonder at the time what doctors REALLY know about the underlying cause(s). Thanks for posting!

 

[jenbooks]

This "within months" headline is very annoying.
One possible approach to HIV that scientists have been working on for a long time is to flush it out of its reservoirs, completely, and then get the body to kill it all. There are problems with this approach--how do you get it out of the reservoirs without damaging the cells? You might have amassive die off of CD4 cells for example. And how do you get it to kill all the HIV? Within months is really inaccurate journalism.

 

[Waverunner]

I love the first post but I also think, that jenbooks made a valid point. In the medical field, where treatments take 10-15 years till they get approved, I cannot imagine, that they will approve a drug for HIV within months. Moreover 99% of all promising drugs fail sooner or later in the approval process, so we have to see about this one.

 

[jenbooks]

It's also a problem that flushing HIV out--if you flush too much out of the CD4 cells, you'll create a ton of inflammation and a lot of dying cells. They know this is a problem--it's a delicate balance--the theoretical idea is good, but I hate it when my beloved press is sloppy, looking only for the catchy headline.

 

[Gemini]

Researchers believe that there will be a breakthrough in finding a cure for HIV “within months”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10022664/Scientists-on-brink-of-HIV-cure.html

allyb,

Sorry about the Science Magazine link, behind a paywall I believe...

Today's New York Times "Cured of AIDS"? Not Yet summarizes HIV reservoir breakthroughs. Here's an excerpt:

The virus’s march into the body now looks less unstoppable. H.I.V. doesn’t just hide behind cell walls, as flu viruses do. It splices a copy of itself right into the genes of certain white blood cells, adding permanent new rungs to each cell’s DNA ladder. Later, it does the same to cells in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, nerves and organs.
Scientists now can biopsy various cells and force them to spit out some viral RNA, proving that they are infected.
“We’re getting better at defining the reservoirs,” said Jerome Zack, an immunologist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Coax the virus out of the reservoirs, eradicate it, cure AIDS seems to be the goal...

 

[jenbooks]

I know many on here may not be too fond of Abbey, but her take on it is cogent and imho correct

http://scienceblogs.com/erv/2013/04/28/scientists-on-brink-of-hiv-cure-ugh-uuuuuuugh-sigh/

 

[HowToEscape?]

I know many on here may not be too fond of Abbey, but her take on it is cogent and imho correct

http://scienceblogs.com/erv/2013/04/28/scientists-on-brink-of-hiv-cure-ugh-uuuuuuugh-sigh/

Newspaper science != actual science. News outlets need to catch attention and sell ads; if they write articles showing the slow, complicated, equivocal nature of scientific progress they'd lose their audience. Plus now that the economics of traditional newspapers are collapsing the few qualified science reporters and being let go.
Abbey is 20-something and so you can expect a little attitude, but she's also working in actual science, aka the reality-based community. I'll take that over headline writers any time.

 

[alex3619]

They are about to start human trials? Unless its fast tracked, presuming its very successful and not a dud, expect a five year wait. With political expediting, that might come down a little ... it depends on how many steps in the testing process they are willing to skip.

Even presuming this all works and the drug is on the market in five years (though it could take 20), how will everyone afford it? That is the next question.