Posts tagged HIV cure
HIV-Infected Cells Don’t Stand a Chance with New Drug
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in Experimental Treatment
Healthy cells are programmed to self-destruct, in a sense, when they become infected or diseased. Unfortunately HIV manipulates this internal self-destruct mode in the cells it infiltrates. A new pharmaceutical drug, Ciclopirox, shows promise in the advancement of HIV treatment.
This anti-fungal topical treatment came up with effective and hopeful results in recent studies. In HIV-infected cells, the drug attacks the mitochondria. By doing this, it inflicts a death blow to the infected cell, wiping out every trace of the HIV. In effect, it reactivates the cell’s self-destruct mode. Not only that, it prevents the HIV from replicating itself. In these two ways, this generally topical treatment proves very effective when dealing with HIV. Normally, Ciclopirox is administered to patients for treatment of skin and gynecological issues. However, in this new study, when used in a culture, HIV was cleared and did not reemerge once the drug was removed.
This is significant, since current forms of HIV treatment include combination drug therapies that inhibit HIV. While these therapies and treatments can help control HIV, they cannot eradicate the virus. If a patient should stop their treatment, HIV comes back at an astounding rate. With Ciclopirox, it is hoped that a means of prevention and perhaps a cure may finally be on the horizon.
Ciclopirox is already an FDA-approved drug. This means the process for using the cream in prevention of sexually transmitting HIV can be expedited. Other testing is already underway in hopes of further findings. The treatment is well tolerated, as healthy cells are unaffected by the drug.
Another promising treatment option is the drug Deferiprone, which is also showing promising results in the lab. Unlike the topical Ciclopirox, this drug can be taken internally, and as previous studies have already been published, it is hoped that this treatment, too, can become an option in the near future.
New Protein Could Be Breakthrough in HIV Prevention
11 years ago
The race to eradicate HIV and improve the vaccine has led to an exciting new development. Researchers within the last few weeks have published new findings regarding a protein and sugar molecule that has the potential to not only neutralize HIV, but that can connect to various strains of the virus as well.
The protein that was created mimics the outer layer of the HIV. The part of the layer that can bind to antibodies is the area researchers were targeting. This key part of the cell is where neutralizing the virus takes place. One of the factors that make the creation of this protein so important is that it may help scientists answer some of the most complex issues facing the prevention of HIV. For one thing, an antibody that can target multiple strains of the virus is hard to come by. Another problem is the response of the immune system: At times it is beneficial, but other responses can be negative and unwanted. Researchers are hoping that, with this protein, the immune system will be free to respond in a positive, beneficial way. The protein with the sugar molecule is better able to bond to the outer coat of the virus. It is hoped that broad-spectrum antibodies will be allowed to form. If this happens, the antibodies that can do the most neutralizing will have a better chance to complete their task.
Another benefit to the proteins is the potential to trigger a response from the white blood cells that produce antibodies. Should the antibodies produced by these B cells do what researchers are hoping, results could be disastrous for the virus. This aspect is what scientists are focusing on to develop an effective vaccine. Much more information is needed, as well as testing on animal subjects. This does not, however, negate the importance that this finding will have on the future of the battle against HIV.
