New Therapy May Control HIV Without Daily Pills
https://ift.tt/2xSRZnB So they tested a combination of two bNAbs in people described as "elite controllers." They have HIV, but their immune systems are able to control the virus without drugs. In one study, the researchers treated 11 patients whose HIV was under control with standard medications. Tests had shown that all appeared sensitive to the two antibodies. The patients stopped their HIV medication. Then, over six weeks, they received three infusions of the antibodies. Overall, the virus remained suppressed in nine patients -- typically for 21 weeks, though two went to at least 30 weeks. Two of the 11 patients, however, were found to harbor HIV that was resistant to at least one of the antibodies. Their viral levels rose within 12 weeks of stopping their medication. That is a critical point, said Caskey. People have to be sensitive to the particular antibodies used in the therapy, and not everyone will be. In a second study, the researchers gave the antibody therapy to four patients who had detectable HIV in their blood. They found the treatment lowered those levels for up to three months. The studies were published separately Sept. 26 in the journals Nature and Nature Medicine. Dr. Melanie Thompson is chair of the HIV Medicine Association. She called the new findings "exciting," but also said much work remains. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to see how often the therapy should be given, and how well it works over time, said Thompson, who was not involved with the new studies. Practically speaking, Thompson noted, the current testing used to predict patients' sensitivity to the antibodies is fairly complex. "I think the testing will have to be refined and made more affordable," she said. As for side effects, Caskey's team said some patients had mild fatigue, but nothing more serious. "So far," Thompson said, "the safety profile of these antibodies has been excellent." Caskey pointed to another question for future studies: Can antibody therapies, over time, spur the immune system to produce its own HIV-fighting antibodies, possibly reducing the need for treatment? "The new frontiers in HIV research involve looking at longer-acting treatments," Thompson said. "Can we have long-term viral suppression with as little drug as possible?" The current studies were funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other grant programs. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 26, 2018 at 04:32PM
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