HIV breakthrough drug stops transmission of virus

Researchers have developed a potent drug which protects against the transmission of HIV even under exposure to extremely high levels of the virus.

According to the scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, the drug blocks every kind of HIV-1 (the most prevalent in the human population and HIV-2 (mainly seen in west Africa) as well as SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus — the virus in primates).

“It also protects against much higher doses of virus than occur in most human transmission and does so for at least eight months after injection,” the institute said in a press statement.

“The novel drug candidate is so potent and universally effective, it might work as part of an unconventional vaccine,” it said.

When HIV infects a cell, it targets the CD4 lymphocyte, an integral part of the body’s immune system. HIV fuses with the cell and inserts its own genetic material and transforms the host cell into a HIV manufacturing site.

The scientists say their study builds on previous discoveries they have made which show there is a co-receptor called CCR5 which contains unusual modifications in its HIV-binding region, and that proteins based on this region can be used to prevent infection.

“With this knowledge, [lead researcher] Michael Farzan and his team developed the new drug candidate so that it binds to two sites on the surface of the virus simultaneously, preventing entry of HIV into the host cell,” the institute said.

The drug has been tested on macaque monkeys and it was found that they were able to fend off SIV for long periods despite repeated doses of the virus up to 16 times more potent than normal.

“Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far,” said Mr Farzan.