Amazing Breakthrough: Patient Cured of HIV and Leukemia After 5 Years
5th Person in the World and Oldest HIV Patient to be in HIV Remission
Five years after receiving a life-changing stem cell transplant, a 68-year-old man shares his immense gratitude at being effectively cured of acute myelogenous leukemia and currently in HIV remission. Paul Edmonds of Desert Springs, California, expressed his deepest appreciation towards the doctors, scientists, nurses, and professionals at City of Hope, the California-based cancer treatment hospital.
Edmonds is an incredible anomaly, being one of only five people in the world to achieve full remission of HIV. What makes his case remarkable is that he had been living with the virus for over 31 years, the longest among all the patients in remission. His journey began in 1988 when he was diagnosed with AIDS, leading his future husband, Arnie House, to get tested and discovering his HIV-positive status as well.
For years, Edmonds managed his HIV through antiretroviral treatments, effectively reducing his viral levels to an undetectable state. However, it was in 2018 that his life took a dramatic turn when he was diagnosed with leukemia, leading to a collaborative treatment plan for both diseases.
“I wasn’t ready to die,” Edmonds emotionally expressed to ABC News last year.
Following chemotherapy, Edmonds underwent a high-risk stem cell transplant at City of Hope on February 6, 2019. The transplanted stem cells possessed an extremely rare gene mutation called homozygous CCR5 Delta 32, making them resistant to HIV.
City of Hope declared Edmonds’ treatment a miraculous success, however, his identity as the anonymous “City of Hope patient” was kept confidential until recently.
Hope for HIV Elimination and Future Directions
HIV remains a global health concern, with the World Health Organization estimating over 39 million people living with the virus worldwide in 2022. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) can effectively manage the virus, achieving full remission and long-term effectiveness with stem cell transplants provides hope for a potential HIV cure.
Edmonds’ HIV remission will be officially declared after five years of ceasing ART, and he has nearly completed three years without the need for medication.
Past Milestones and Further Potential Cures
Notably, Timothy Ray Brown, known as the “Berlin patient,” was the first person to enter HIV remission after bone marrow and stem cell transplants in 2007 and 2008, ultimately being declared cured. Unfortunately, Brown passed away in 2020 after battling cancer at the age of 54.
Other significant cases include a German man cured of HIV through a stem cell transplant, with confirmation of his virus-free status in 2021. Additionally, a New York woman became the first woman successfully cured of HIV and leukemia in 2022, highlighting the potential of stem cell treatments. Reports also suggest a sixth cured patient, known as the “Geneva patient,” exists in Europe.
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