It looks like the approach Sangamo BioSciences (SGMO) is taking with a gene therapy treatment for HIV is gaining credence. With the recent modification of treatment protocols to include the ZFN modification of CD8 cells Sangamo has seen 1 of three treated patients reduce his VL to below quantification . The second had delayed onset of viremia.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2015/04/18/hiv-breakthrough-imminent-says-medicine-nobel-laureate
Nobel Laureate Francoise Barre-Sinoussi‚ who co-discovered the virus that causes Aids‚ believes it is possible that one day people will live with HIV‚ without taking medicine and yet remain healthy and un-infectious.
Barre-Sinoussi believes a cure that will completely eliminate HIV from the body is "impossible". But she says sending the virus into remission is possible.
The scientist explained that clinical remission is when the virus is still in the body‚ but it is not replicating‚ not attacking the cells and the person cannot transmit HIV.
The virus would also not be activating the carrier's immune system and causing inflammation in the body‚ which is linked to lifestyle disease such as heart disease and cancer.
The reason she believes remission is possible is because up to three in 1000 HIV-positive people naturally send the virus into remission and never require medicine. They are called elite controllers. These are people whose bodies stop the virus replicating and remain healthy 20 years after infection without antiretroviral medication.
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