New Method To Make Immune Cells Resistant To HIV Proposed

Investigators at The Scripps Research Institute have found a way to bind HIV-fighting antibodies to immune cells, creating a cell population resistant to the virus. Their experiments under lab conditions show that these resistant cells can quickly replace diseased cells, potentially curing the disease in a person with HIV.

"This protection would be long term," stated Jia Xie, senior staff investigator and first author of the study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

The researchers, led by Richard Lerner, M.D. plan to collaborate with investigators at City of Hope's Center for Gene Therapy to evaluate this new therapy in efficacy and safety tests, as required by the U. S. federal regulations, before testing in patients.

"We at TSRI are honored to be able to collaborate with physicians and scientists at City of Hope, whose expertise in transplantation in HIV patients should hopefully allow this therapy to be used in people," continued Lerner, "The ultimate goal will be the control of HIV in patients with AIDS without the need for other medications."