A single infusion of a broadly neutralizing HIV antibody has reduced viral loads for up to four weeks among HIV-positive individuals, Forbes reports. Publishing their findings in the journal Nature, researchers in this Phase I trial gave an intravenous dose of an antibody called 3BNC117 to 17 HIV-positive and 12 HIV-negative participants. The dose was either 1, 3, 10 or 30 milligrams per kilogram of each participant’s body weight.

The broadly neutralizing antibody, which has the capacity to target 195 out of 237 HIV strains, showed previous success in mice and primates.

Among the HIV-positive participants, the eight who received the highest dose of the antibody had the greatest response: a rapid decrease in viral load, and ultimately up to a 300-fold reduction. Some of these participants continued to experience a reduced viral load for up to four weeks after receiving the antibody.

The researchers concluded that 3BNC117 is safe to use in humans and should be studied further. They also believe that the antibody may one day be used in efforts to eradicate the virus from latent viral reservoirs.

To read the press release, click here.

To read the Forbes article, click here.

To read the study abstract, click here.