Seventh HIV Cure with Stem Cells Offers Clues for Improved Treatments

Seventh Person Cured of HIV After Stem Cell Transplant, Offering New Insights for a Functional Cure

Berlin, Germany – Febuary 29, 2024 – A 53-year-old man living with HIV in Germany has become the seventh documented case of a functional cure following a stem cell transplant, bolstering hopes for improved HIV treatment strategies. The landmark case, detailed in Nature Medicine on February 29, 2024, demonstrates that achieving long-term viral remission might potentially be possible through refined transplant techniques, even without the specific genetic mutation previously thought essential for success. This breakthrough offers renewed optimism for developing therapies that could allow individuals with HIV to live without lifelong antiretroviral medication.

For over 40 years, HIV has impacted an estimated 39 million people globally, according to UNAIDS data from 2023. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively suppresses the virus in many, it isn’t a cure and requires lifelong adherence. The pursuit of a cure has focused on strategies like stem cell transplants, which replace a patient’s immune system with one resistant to HIV. This latest case expands the possibilities, suggesting a broader range of patients could perhaps benefit from such approaches and accelerating research into less intensive curative methods.

The patient, who has remained anonymous, received a stem cell transplant in 2023 to treat acute myeloid leukemia. Unlike the first documented case in 2009 – Timothy Ray Brown, known as the “Berlin patient” – this individual did not have the CCR5-delta32 mutation, a genetic variation conferring HIV resistance. Researchers at the University Medical Center hamburg-Eppendorf report that the patient has been in remission from HIV for over a year as stopping ART, with no detectable virus despite multiple tests.

“This case is meaningful as it shows that a cure is absolutely possible even without the CCR5 mutation,” explained Dr. Björn-Erik Oleander, lead author of the study. “It opens the door to exploring other mechanisms that might contribute to viral control during stem cell transplantation.” The success is attributed to a combination of factors, including the intensity of the chemotherapy used before the transplant and the specific characteristics of the donor’s immune cells.

The initial HIV cure, achieved with Timothy Ray Brown, relied on a stem cell donor with the rare CCR5 mutation. Subsequent cases have followed a similar pattern. Though, this latest instance demonstrates that the specific genetic mutation isn’t a prerequisite for achieving remission, broadening the potential pool of eligible patients. Researchers are now focused on understanding the precise immune mechanisms responsible for controlling the virus in these cases, aiming to replicate those effects with less risky therapies.

Further research will concentrate on identifying the key components of the transplanted immune system that contribute to viral eradication and developing targeted interventions that can mimic these effects without the need for a full stem cell transplant. This could involve gene editing techniques or immunotherapies designed to enhance the body’s natural ability to fight HIV. the ultimate goal is to develop a safe, accessible, and scalable cure for HIV, offering a future free from the burden of lifelong treatment.