"After a single infusion of immune cells engineered to recognize HIV, the virus in two study participants was suppressed to undetectable levels. Suppression has lasted nearly two years for one of the patients, The New York Times reports."
"Based on technology already developed to attack cancer cells, the scientists at Caring Cross engineered immune cells from each study participant to carry two molecules on the immune cells' surface. Both bind to HIV and kill infected cells, but one also prevents the immune cells from becoming infected."
""It's this dual nature of targeting - killing and protecting - that we think is the missing piece in terms of how this therapy works," Dr. Boro Dropulić, executive director of Caring Cross, told The Times."
"HIV positive individuals who stop taking antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) will typically see the virus roar back within two weeks. But two of the study participants have remained undetectable after 92 and 48 weeks, respectively, after infusion and simultaneously stopping antiretroviral therapy. A third participant partially suppressed the virus for 12 weeks before rebounding."
Engineered immune cells were infused into HIV-positive participants to recognize and attack HIV-infected cells. The cells carried two surface molecules: one bound HIV and killed infected cells, while the other prevented the immune cells from becoming infected. After infusion, HIV levels in two participants dropped to undetectable levels and remained suppressed for 92 and 48 weeks even after stopping antiretroviral therapy. Typically, stopping antiretroviral drugs leads to viral rebound within about two weeks. A third participant showed partial suppression for 12 weeks before the virus rebounded. All participants had been on antiretroviral therapy before receiving the engineered cells.
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