A study published this week in Science Translational Medicine showed that genetically modified blood stem cells transplanted into HIV patients successfully produced antiviral material, which could theoretically suppress the virus long-term without antiretroviral drugs.

However, the amounts were too low to actually show anti-HIV activity.

Scientists believe that stem cell-based gene therapy is a promising prospect to eventually replace highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (see related AIDS Beacon news).

“We hope to provide patients with long term protection from immunodeficiency and free them from a life long dependence on…

Long touted as a potentially powerful weapon against HIV, stem cell therapy may be moving one step closer to reality. Researchers may soon begin using stem cell therapy in clinical trials for patients not responding to antiretroviral drugs (see related AIDS Beacon news).

At the Society for General Microbiology’s spring meeting in Edinburgh, University of Amsterdam Professor Ben Berkhout spoke of his investigations into the novel therapy.

Meant for individuals no longer responding to the traditional regimen of antivirals, Berkhout’s proposed stem cell therapy holds promise for long-term, effective…