AP: First HIV Gene Therapy Test Encouraging

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HIV_GENE_THERAPY

Nov 6, 6:19 PM EST

First HIV Gene Therapy Test Encouraging

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The first test of a potential new gene therapy for HIV - the virus that causes AIDS - was encouraging enough for researchers to launch a more extensive trial.

"The goal of this phase I trial was safety and feasibility, and the results established that," said lead researcher Dr. Carl June. "But the results also hint at something much more."

In addition to showing that the treatment was possible and didn't endanger the patients, the amount of virus in the subjects remained steady or decreased during the study, which involved just five people with chronic HIV infection.

One patient had a sustained decrease in the amount of virus, and immune cells and strength of the immune system increased in four patients during the nine-month study.

However, "just because this has produced encouraging results in one or two patients doesn't mean it will work for everyone. We have much more work to do," said co-author Dr. Bruce Levine.

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On the Net:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.pnas.org

[Scooter24]

1. Awesome news

This is why it's important to have more funding for medical research.

[LifeDuringWartime]

2. agreed

maybe if they had better funding they could have involved more people

[wiley]

3. Got a better direct link?

Search function not working. Thanks.