Scientists have announced a groundbreaking advancement in HIV treatment, claiming successful eradication of the virus from infected cells using Crispr gene-editing technology, a Nobel Prize-winning innovation.
Crispr acts as molecular scissors, precisely cutting DNA to remove or inactivate problematic segments.
Although current HIV medications can impede the virus’s progression, they do not eradicate it entirely.
The University of Amsterdam team, sharing their initial findings at a recent medical conference, emphasized this constraint. They emphasized that their research, while encouraging, is still in its early phases and does not yet provide a conclusive cure for HIV.
Dr. James Dixon, an associate professor specializing in stem-cell and gene-therapy technologies at the University of Nottingham, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for further research and validation of their findings.
“Much more work will be needed to demonstrate results in these cell assays can happen in an entire body for a future therapy.
“There will be much more development needed before this could have impact on those with HIV,” he said.
Other researchers are also exploring Crispr’s potential for combating HIV. Excision Biotherapeutics conducted a study involving three HIV-positive volunteers who experienced no significant side effects over 48 weeks of observation.
However, Dr. Jonathan Stoye from the Francis Crick Institute in London emphasized the formidable challenge of completely eliminating HIV from the body’s reservoirs. He expressed concerns about unintended side effects and long-term consequences associated with the treatment.
It may be several years before Crispr-based therapy becomes standard practice, even if its effectiveness is confirmed.
