The University of Amsterdam presents early HIV research at a medical conference, emphasizing that it is a “proof of concept,” not a cure.
Researchers have taken a promising step toward an HIV cure by utilizing CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), a potent gene-editing tool. According to sources, this strategy includes removing HIV’s DNA from infected cells using CRISPR, which is similar to molecular scissors. Existing medicines can lower HIV, but they cannot completely eliminate it. This new research, while still in its early phases, provides hope for the virus’s complete eradication.
The team from the University of Amsterdam presented an overview of their findings at a medical conference. They highlight that this is an early concept that will not lead to a cure right now. Additional study is required to ensure safety and efficacy. Experts such as Dr. James Dixon, Associate Professor of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Technologies at the University of Nottingham, concur that a thorough review of the findings is required.
“This is an exciting study in which gene-editing technology was utilized to eliminate the permanent aspect of how HIV installs and preserves its genome in patient cells. Much more research will be required to show that the outcomes of these cell assays can be replicated across the body for future treatments.
As this is not peer reviewed, it will be crucial to analyze the specific data that validates the findings. Further development is needed before this might have an impact on persons with HIV, according to Dr Dixon.
Dr. Jonathan Stoye, Senior Group Leader and Head of the Retrovirus-Host Interactions Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, stated, “The concept of a functional treatment for AIDS using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to rid the body of HIV-1 has immense appeal. Many groups are working in this field, and at least one company, Excision BioTherapeutics, has already begun clinical trials with a small number of HIV-1-infected people.”
