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New Drug Eliminates AIDS in Brain Cells

An American study has found that an experimental drug may help eliminate the HIV virus from infected cells in the brain.

Researchers at Tulane University clarified that the results published on Thursday in the journal Brain represent a significant step towards eliminating the virus in glial cells in the brain. These cells serve as a stable viral reservoir and present a major challenge in treating the disease.

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HIV Infection

AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection, which affects the immune system and makes those infected susceptible to other diseases.

Antiretroviral treatments are an essential part of the therapy because they keep the virus at undetectable levels in the blood and transform it from a fatal disease to a manageable condition. However, these treatments do not completely eliminate the virus, requiring lifelong therapy.

The virus remains latent in ‘viral reservoirs’ in the brain, liver, and lymph nodes, staying out of reach of antiretroviral treatments.

The brain presents a particular challenge due to the ‘blood-brain barrier,’ a protective membrane that shields it from harmful substances but also prevents treatments from reaching that area, allowing the virus to persist.

The infection of brain cells by the virus contributes to the cognitive neurological impairment experienced by about half of those affected. Therefore, eliminating the virus in the brain is essential to improving the quality of life.

White Blood Cell

The researchers focused their study on a type of white blood cell that harbors the HIV virus in the brain, known as “Macrophages.” These are immune cells that live for very long periods, making them difficult to eliminate once infected.

The team used the experimental drug “BLZ945,” which had previously been studied for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and brain cancer, for the first time in the context of targeting the HIV virus in the brain.

The study included 3 groups of monkeys infected with HIV. The first group received a low dose of the drug, the second group received a high dose for 30 days, and the third group was not treated with the experimental drug.

HIV/AIDS: Just the Facts | Britannica

The results showed that the high dose of the medication led to a reduction of 95 to 99 percent in the levels of the virus within the immune cells that harbor it in the brain.

Dr. Wong-Ki Kim, the lead researcher of the study, said: “This research represents a significant advancement in addressing brain issues caused by HIV, which persist even with the use of antiretroviral therapies.”

“He added, via the university’s website, that ‘the next step is to test this treatment alongside antiretroviral therapies to assess its effectiveness, and this could pave the way for more comprehensive strategies to completely eliminate the virus from the body.'”

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