Evidence for HIV-1 cure after CCR5Δ32/Δ32 allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation 30 months post analytical treatment interruption: a case report
Report details a patient with HIV-1, who had an allogeneic stem-cell transplantation, remained in remission at 30 months with no detectable replication-competent virus in blood, CSF, intestinal tissue or lymphoid tissue. Authors propose that the findings represent HIV-1 cure.
Source:
The Lancet HIV
SPS commentary:
A related commentary discusses this report and its potential implications highlighting that a key question now for the area of HIV cure is how soon can it be known if someone has been cured of HIV? It states that the finding of no intact virus in both blood and tissue can be reassuring for a patient who might face great anxiety and uncertainty about whether and when viral rebound off antiretroviral therapy might occur, which in other settings has been completely unpredictable. In view of the many cells sampled in this report, and the absence of any intact virus, is this patient truly cured? It concludes that the additional data provided in this follow-up case report is certainly exciting and encouraging but, in the end, only time will tell.