Is there a cure for HIV/AIDS?

IS THERE A CURE FOR HIV/AIDS?

Since the start of the HIV epidemic, researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals have tirelessly worked to understand the virus and develop effective treatments. These advancements allow people living with HIV to suppress the virus to undetectable levels, not only improving their own health but also preventing transmission to others.

Even with the medical advancements over the last 40 years, the quest for an HIV/AIDS cure remains of great importance. Managing HIV through antiretroviral (ARV) therapies has been a vital step, but there is so much more to do.

Treatments today have become far more convenient for people living with HIV, vastly improving their life expectancy and quality of life. Despite this, taking life-long medication is essential and can be emotionally and physically challenging. Not taking medication exactly as prescribed can cause HIV to become resistant to one or more ARVs, which makes the treatment less effective.1 Side effects from ARVs and other HIV-related health issues can also impact their daily lives.

Even whilst taking ARVs, people living with HIV often have higher levels of inflammation and immune activity than those without HIV.2 This persistent inflammation can increase the risk of other health problems such as heart disease, cancer, and brain issues.3

Combined with the social stigma associated with HIV, these concerns highlight the urgent need to find a cure for HIV.4

Abbreviations

ARV, antiretroviral; DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; IAP, inhibitors of apoptosis.

References

  1. S. Bertagnolio, Perno CF, Vella S, Pillay D. The Impact of HIV Drug Resistance on the Selection of First- and Second-Line ART in Resource-Limited Settings. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2013;207(suppl 2)
  2. Poor CD4 Cell Recovery and Persistent Inflammation Despite Viral Suppression | NIH. HIV.gov. Published June 3, 2021. Accessed June 6, 2024. https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines/hiv-clinical-guidelines-adult-and-adolescent-arv/poor-cd4-cell-recovery-and-persistent
  3. Hileman CO, Funderburg NT. Inflammation, Immune Activation, and Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV. Current HIV/AIDS Reports. 2017;14(3):93-100. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-017-0356-x
  4. Bonney EY, Lamptey H, Kyei GB. HIV cure: an acceptability scientific agenda. Curr Opin HIV AIDS. 2023;18(1):12-17. doi:10.1097/COH.0000000000000771
  5. HIV info. What is a latent HIV reservoir? Accessed January 2024 https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/what-latent-hiv-reservoir.
  6. Castro-Gonzalez S, Colomer-Lluch M, Serra-Moreno R. Barriers for HIV Cure: The Latent Reservoir. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2018;34(9):739-759. doi:10.1089/AID.2018.0118.
  7. Xu W, Li H, Wang Q, et al. Advancements in Developing Strategies for Sterilizing and Functional HIV Cures. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:6096134. doi:10.1155/2017/6096134
  8. Nixon CC, Mavigner M, Sampey GC, et al. Systemic HIV and SIV latency reversal via non-canonical NF-κB signalling in vivo. Nature. 2020;578(7793):160-165. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-1951-3
  9. Viruses, microscopy and fast radio bursts: 10 remarkable discoveries from 2020. Nature. 2020;588(7839):596-598. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03514-8
  10. Hsu J, Van Besien K, Glesby MJ, et al. HIV-1 remission and possible cure in a woman after haplo-cord blood transplant. Cell. 2023;186(6):1115-1126.e8. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2023.02.030
  11. No Rebound 20 Months After ART Stops After Novel Stem Cell Transplant. IAS conference on HIV Science. IAS 2023, July 23-26, 2023. Brisbane. Accessed January 2024. https://www.natap.org/2023/IAS/IAS_38.htm.
  12. Excision BioTherapeutics Receives FDA Fast Track Designationfor EBT-101, a First-in-Class CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy Candidate to Functionally Cure HIV-1. Excision BioTherapeutics. July 20, 2023. Accessed January 2024. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/07/20/2708048/0/en/Excision-BioTherapeutics-Receives-FDA-Fast-Track-Designation-for-EBT-101-a-First-in-Class-CRISPR-Based-Gene-Therapy-Candidate-to-Functionally-Cure-HIV-1.html.
  13. HIV and AIDS Epidemic Global Statistics. HIV.gov. Published 2022. Accessed June 5, 2024. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/global-statistics

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