second Berlin Patient Remains HIV-Free for Seven Years, challenging Previous Cure Assumptions
Berlin – A patient in Berlin has maintained HIV remission for over seven years following a stem cell transplant, offering renewed hope in the pursuit of an HIV cure. The case is notable because the donor cells possessed a functional CCR5 receptor - a protein HIV uses too enter immune cells - contradicting the prior belief that a specific genetic mutation of this receptor was essential for achieving lasting remission.
Previously, it was thought that a homozygous CCR5-Δ32 mutation was a prerequisite for HIV eradication after stem cell transplantation. Though, this patient’s donor had only a heterozygous mutation, demonstrating that HIV remission can be achieved even without the complete absence of the CCR5 receptor.Researchers at the Charité Berlin, led by Christian Gäbler, are exploring the mechanisms behind this sustained remission, with their findings published in Nature (2025; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09893-0). This advancement expands the potential avenues for HIV cure research beyond those reliant on the CCR5-Δ32 mutation.
