November 11, 2010

AIDSmeds Video: Quest for a Cure

On November 3, people living with HIV and their allies gathered in West Hollywood to hear about an exciting new experiment that’s about to get under way. At the meeting, sponsored by the AIDS Policy Project, John Zaia, MD, from the City of Hope in Duarte, California, and Paula Cannon, PhD, from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, explained the potential behind their new approach to curing AIDS: genetically modifying stem cells taken from people living with both HIV and lymphoma to render their immune systems resistant to HIV.If the treatment works, not only would it cure the study participants’ lymphoma, it could also cure their HIV.

If this sounds far-fetched, it’s not. About three years ago, an enterprising German hematologist named Gero Hütter, MD, decided to do something that had never been done before. He had an HIV-positive patient who had leukemia and needed a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant. Hütter decided to look for a bone marrow donor with a unique characteristic: a genetic defect that makes people highly resistant to HIV infection. He found such a donor and then conducted the transplant. Three years later, the patient has no detectable virus and remains off of all antiretroviral therapy.

Is this a cure? We can’t know for sure, but things look quite promising. Zaia and Cannon are about to attempt something similar, but with a twist. Rather than looking for a donor with this somewhat rare genetic defect, they are using a technology called zinc-finger nucleases to alter the genes of the study volunteers’ stem cells so that they have the same type of resistance to infection as the German patient. There’s no knowing whether it will work, but the fact that cure-based research is now moving into the laboratory is remarkable all by itself.

Here’s what Zaia and Cannon had to say about their experiment and the possibility of a cure. The AIDS Policy Project’s Kate Krauss also shares some thoughts about how you can help support cure research.

NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.

Previous Comments:

George, Newark, NJ, 2012-01-31 13:29:53
It would be great if this worked, and seems as monumental as the first landing on the moon! People are suffering and dying with this disease, drugs aren't sufficient, and the time has come for "theBody" to be equipped to fight this virus directly!

Stephen, San Diego, 2012-01-24 14:42:37
I have been positive for 15 yrs. Everyday I look forward to the day when they find a cure. I get tired of hearing how to prevent it and a vaccine. how about the millions infected? Shouldn't we get a chance to be cured as well as those vaccinated against it. If you are looking for volunteers doc, you got one right here!

Nancy Santiago, Philadelphia, 2011-03-20 19:19:30
As I'm reading this story and looking at the video. I can't believe my eyes as I read it can't believe my ears as I hear the video. WOW. I almost cry of joy. We all must keep our hope and faith. Like they said faith can move the mountains. We all need to united together. And we will find a cure to this killer. I have being living with H.I.V. Since 2002. How relief and stress free will my family were be that I would be free of this disease

Eddie, Houston, Tx, 2010-12-20 19:03:30
There are no healthy HIV + patients doctor, not even with drugs. I am not a fool. Go tell your story to someone else. My prediction is that Germany will beat the US in the quest for a cure.Dr.Hutter who is not an HIV expert had an idea and went for it. Yes, in your face! The US researchers want to "kill the tiger, but they are still afraid of its skin" if you will.The cure maybe on the other side of the Atlantic. Reserve your tickets.

tony, scotland, 2010-12-10 15:04:08
today i have had a shit day i have struggled everyday from i have ben told i was + and this is the first article that has given me hope where can u sign up i will try anything

jay, Charleston, S.C., 2010-12-08 15:52:55
Thank you for this research I pray that this will be the end of Hiv as the virus has destroyed countless lives around the world, I truly hope that these team of researchers will see their work turn into a real cure and end to people's suffering around the world. Thank You all.

Pecker, Pasco, WA 99301, 2010-12-01 18:43:55
I can honestly say that being an HIV+ male, this is the first article that I have read that gave me the chills and brought tears to my eyes. This a subject that has been an issue for more than 20 years and has killed many. I also know that the treatment for HIV or even just having HIV, let's face it, feels like sh*t, there is no better way to put it talking from first hand experience, yet there has only been 6 people besides me giving a simple tad bit of effort to say something about it.

Frederick Wright, Tampa, 2010-12-01 13:17:34
I want to thank Katie for here passion and efforts from a HIV person in this quest for a Cure for AIDS. I also like to go on record to ask our NIH leadership to search for a cure like their life or their sons and daughter life depends on it. I am hopefully that other national leadership, Poz.com, Housing Works, National AIDS Fund, AIDS Action, AMFAR, The Black AIDS Institute, The AIDS Institutes, and NAMAC to use their political cloud to stand behind this effort of hope,faith and action.

Dave, , 2010-11-26 17:15:16
Woderful! Thank goodness for this scientist! More aggressive interventions need to occur if this awlful disease is going to be irradicated. While the current treatments have preserved life, and that is not anything to ignore, more elaborate interventions are necessary. May these efforts be effective for all those who suffer with this disease!

kenneth mccollum, dayton ohio, 2010-11-17 15:46:34
I am a hiv person I been hiv sense 1992 am I that lucky person to get the stem cells treatment so I can get this virus out of me so I can live a normal life without the virus in me.

Uche Eke, Owerri Nigeria, 2010-11-17 14:58:24
this is really appreciated and encourage. this great work the scientist are doing is intensive in curing HIV/AIDS. i don't know what we would have done about hope of curing HIV/AIDS, to you to me it is up to us to make the world a better place a place where we can live together with free disease, in peace and harmony it is up to you and me. More energy and may God bless you all

Kate Krauss, Philadelphia, 2010-11-17 13:35:35
Kate Krauss here. We need people who care about a cure to write letters to the head of the NIH urging him to spend $240 on direct cure research. We need 500 letters before World AIDS Day. Tell your story. Put this issue on the map for him. Everything you need to do this is on our web site at www.AIDSPolicyProject.org In solidarity.

Frederick Wright, Tampa, 2010-11-17 10:18:21
This is great news that a new group has enough faith and passion to advance a Cure for HIV/AIDS. It is also great news that scientist are focusing on this problem once again like the in the 80's and 90's. I think we will see a cure in my lifetime and only if we believe and keep pushing foward in progress theroies like our space program. Scientist must be let out of the box and more and more research that is shared and united. This Hope can go a long way as more direct postive energy to a Cure