Breaking: Researchers discover new HIV antibody

Researchers said they have discovered an HIV antibody that can suppress the virus for nearly six months without additional treatment.

The new study involved about half of a group of monkeys, infused with a broadly neutralising antibody to HIV combined with an immune stimulatory compound.

The findings, released at the 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, lend a clue to strategies that attempt to achieve sustained, drug-free viral remission in people living with HIV.

Being supported in part by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the study may have targeted the viral reservoir, populations of long-lived, latently infected cells that harbour the virus and that lead to resurgent viral replication when suppressive therapy was stopped.

“HIV excels at evading the immune system by hiding out in certain immune cells,” said NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

“The virus can be suppressed to very low levels with antiretroviral therapy, but quickly rebounds to high levels if a person stops taking medications as prescribed.”

“The findings from this early stage research offer further evidence that achieving sustained viral remission without daily medication might be possible,” he added.