The authors of the new study included (left to right): Susana Valente, Cari F. Kessing and Chuan Li. Credit: The Scripps Research Institute

In findings that open the door to a completely different approach to curing HIV infections, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have for the first time shown that a novel compound effectively suppresses production of the virus in chronically infected cells, and prevents viral rebound, even when those infected cells are subjected to vigorous stimulation.

The study, led by TSRI Associate Professor Susana Valente, was published online Oct. 17 before print in the journal Cell Reports.

"No other anti-retroviral used in the clinic today is able to completely suppress viral production in infected cells in vivo," Valente said. "When combining this drug with the standard cocktail of anti-retrovirals used to suppress infection in humanized mouse models of HIV-1 infection, our study found a drastic reduction in virus RNA present—it is really the proof-of-concept for a 'functional cure.'"

Valente, a pioneer in this new approach, calls it "Block-and-Lock"—the approach blocks reactivation of the virus in cells, even during treatment interruptions, and locks HIV into durable state of latency.

Valente and her colleagues use a derivative of a natural compound called didehydro-Cortistatin A (dCA), which blocks replication in HIV-infected cells by inhibiting the viral transcriptional activator, called Tat, halting viral production, reactivation and replenishment of the latent viral reservoir.

"Combining dCA with anti-retroviral therapy accelerates HIV-1 suppression and prevents viral rebound after treatment interruption, even during strong cellular activation," Valente said. "It's important to note that our study uses the maximum tolerable dose of the drug—with virtually no side effects."

The scientists studied the combination therapy in a mouse model of HIV latency and persistence. Once the combined treatment regimen was halted, viral rebound was delayed up to 19 days, compared with just seven days in mouse models receiving only anti-retroviral treatment.

"This demonstrates the potential of 'block-and-lock' strategies," said TSRI Research Associate Cari F. Kessing, co-first author of the study. "This study shows that a 'functional cure' approach can succeed in reducing residual virus in the blood during anti-retroviral treatment and limiting viral rebound during treatment interruption."

"In half of the dCA treated mice, the virus was undetectable for 16 days after all treatment was halted," said the University of North Carolina's Christopher Nixon, another first author.

"We blocked Tat, and the cell's machinery did the rest," said TSRI Research Associate Chuan Li, a coauthor of the study. "The result was that the HIV promoter becomes repressed."

Valente pointed out that the animal models were exposed to just a single month of treatment. "That's a relatively short period of time," she said. "We think longer treatments will result in longer, or even permanent, rebound delays. The question is how long? We're studying that now."

Because any viral rebound of HIV comes with a host of adverse effects, Valente noted, blocking that rebound would automatically reduce those effects.

"This is the only class of drugs that stops infected cells from making viruses outright," said Valente. "All current antivirals work later in the viral lifecycle, so only a HIV transcriptional inhibitor like dCA can stop the side effects of low-level virus production."

In addition to Valente, Kessing, Li and Nixon, other authors of the study, "In Vivo Suppression Of HIV Rebound By Didehydro-1 Cortistatin A, A 'Block-And-Lock' Strategy For HIV-1 Treatment," are Guillaume Mousseau and Mohammad Fallahi of TSRI; Perry M. Tsai, Phong T. Ho, Jenna B. Honeycutt and J. Victor Garcia of the University of North Carolina; and Hiroshi Takata and Lydie Trautmann of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.

Source: https://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2017-10-door-functional-hiv.html

Lalasticlala

Hmmmm..good...Ftc Tinx

Nice one
Hope it turns to be successful.



Check my signature

FTC YAHHO

Ok good...but what about monkey pox

We hope for a final cure.
A longer time for the Virus to stay repressed is a welcome development.

Since they gave birth to me that they being researching about this HIV....there already have the cure but they want us to keep eating money on that their HIV control drug.

anyway for funny jokes and riddles that will make you laugh like a mad man visit www.laughkillme.com

This isn't a cure per se, just an improvement on existing ARVs.

Ok

Good development

mccoy47:
Team Raw!
Time to go powered!

Saw what you did there

OK..we don hear

Hawlahscho:

For sale?

if they happen to find the cure for HIV and cancer God the earth will be worst than hell. it will fast forward the coming of our creator.. ashawo go they bleep nonsense comut from man dvck.

mccoy47:
Team Raw!
Time to go powered!

Lmao.., guy ur crase no get cure

all those na stories, what everybody want to hear is "we don see the cure period"

Another improvement. Good but HIV still remains the disease to avoid.
The Pharm industry has not made enough money from HIV yet and there's no sustainable product replacement for the money-spinner ARVs
Be wise, play safe.

What's tha business?

The body's immune system has already defeated the HIV/AIDS virus, making it powerless even if you have it. The body was designed to work that way from creation. The body always adapt and eventually find a way to get around such situation and has been doing so for millions of years. That's why the human race has been able to survive for millions of years when there were no drugs at all. If such healing power didn't naturally exist, the human race would have gone extinct many years ago.

Western pharmaceutical companies are about to pull something big. Just watch out.

mccoy47:
Team Raw!
Time to go powered!

God oooooo Lwkmd o, nairalanders are mad o! Mad! Mad!

Nigga raw and Mr Rawbison

Good news

but that shouldn't make me to jump into any well or carnal because I want pleasure

Them never hide the cure reach




HIV WHEN PEOPLE DON EVEN FORGET.....



THEY JUST WANNA MAKE IT RELEVANT AGAIN

There can never be a cure, u know why? Cause the moment they release the cure and you can jst walk into a pharmacy n buy d drug watch how the population of the world is goin to sky rocket and oyibo no go allow that. Not when they are talk climate change and how the earth is dieing. Itz a control mechanism n itz working

How many times una go bring out the medicine sef? Everytime u guys keep talking trash

Good.

mccoy47:
Team Raw!
Time to go powered!

hmmmm....I thought, there was a news on nairaland months back, claiming a Nigerian has found the remedy to HIVS?
Anyways, It seems no medical discovery can be acknowledged in curing of HIVS if it's not coming from the States...It's good they have finally found one.
I hope UN/WHO would help to subsidise the drug when it is finally produced for the poor HIV syndrome carriers.