Thu 9 Apr 2015 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A new HIV treatment using a synthetic antibody has led to a 300-fold reduction in patients’ viral loads in trials. The antibody is designed to prevent the virus from attacking human cells. The dramatic lowering of the viral load lasted for a number of weeks after the injection for some patients. Researchers believe synthetic antibodies could not only provide an alternative form of treatment to anti-retroviral drugs, but may also help to design therapeutic vaccines. They could also potentially be used in combination with existing anti-retroviral drugs to maintain better control over the infection. "One antibody alone, like one drug alone, will not be sufficient to suppress viral load for a long time because resistance will arise," said Marina Caskey of the Rockefeller University in New York, the lead author of the study published in the journal Nature, has told The Independent. "What's special about these antibodies is that they have activity against over 80 per cent of HIV strains and they are extremely potent.” You can find the full study here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 9th April 2015 - 10:33am