New Antibody Therapies Looks Promising For HIV Treatment: Imperial Study

Study in UK: Initial research has shown encouraging results of immune-based therapies in advancing HIV treatment.

In primary trial results of a study led by Imperial researchers, it is found that immune-based therapies have encouraging results in advancing HIV treatment. The trial is called RIO which evaluated the impact of two long-acting immune therapies with placebo.

The experiment was conducted on 68 HIV patients who stopped taking their antiretroviral medicines. Three-quarters of the participants received the immune therapies known as broadly neutralising antibodies, or bNAbs whereas others got the placebo for more than a 20-week period. According to the outcome of this study, those who received the bNAbs could control the HIV virus better than those who received only a placebo.

Professor Sarah Fidler of the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, and chief investigator of the study, said, “This is the first time a long-acting immune-based therapy has shown sustained viral control in multiple participants, allowing them to stop their daily antiretroviral medication for over a year. These results could open new avenues for HIV treatment, bringing us closer to our ultimate goal of achieving a cure.”

Professor John Frater from the University of Oxford, co-lead investigator, explained, “These bNAbs function in two ways—first, by directly targeting and killing HIV, and second, by stimulating new and stronger immune responses. Those who developed the most robust immune responses maintained viral control for the longest period. This is the first evidence that an immune response can be harnessed to control HIV, potentially paving the way for viral eradication.”

Immune Therapy To Play Pivotal Role In Future HIV Treatment

The experiment results suggest that bNAb-based therapies could play a significant role in the future treatment of HIV.

Dr. Mike McCune, head of the HIV Frontiers program at the Gates Foundation, said, “The results of the RIO study show that progress is possible in the effort to revolutionize HIV treatment. By demonstrating the promise of bNAbs in durable viral suppression, this study also unlocks critical insights that could help advance the development of safe, effective, and affordable gene-based HIV therapies. This type of cutting-edge research and innovation will be key to finally ending the global threat of HIV.”

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