A therapeutic HIV vaccine clinical trial induces viral control in 5 people without taking antiretroviral therapy
16.02.17
2 minutes readA clinical trial conducted by the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, supported by the Obra Social ”la Caixa” and the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Fight AIDS Foundation has induced HIV control in 5 people who have been in an antiretroviral pause for 5, 13, 17, 20 and 27 weeks, respectively. Usually virus rebounds during the first 4 weeks after treatment interruption.
This is the first therapeutic intervention against HIV that has proved to be successful in reeducating the immune system of HIV-infected people, enabling it to keep the virus under control while not taking antiretroviral drugs. Now the aim of the researchers is to understand how to improve the effectiveness of this strategy in more patients.
The study, still ongoing, enrolls 15 HIV-positive people who received a therapeutic vaccine designed by researchers of the Oxford University, combined with a drug from Celgene pharmaceutical company intended to awaken' the latent virus.
The clinical trial is carried out at the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (Barcelona), the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS of Barcelona and the community center BCN Checkpoint. IrsiCaixa sponsors the study, with funding from ”la Caixa” Foundation, the Fundació Glòria Soler, the Gala Sida Barcelona and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, among others.