Benitec Biopharma Ltd (BNTC)

[georgejjl]

Regarding Calimmune

Summary and Outlook
Today, HIV treatment has entered a new era. In light of the success of ART in controlling infection and extending the life-span of HIV-infected people, lack of an efficient vaccine is the major obstacle to HIV prevention; perhaps now is the time to consider eradicating HIV. The case of the “Berlin patient” opened a window to the possibility of cell-based therapy. However, there are some limitations in the field of cell-based gene therapy. Gene therapy methods are currently being tested clinically.
New reports of cases where viral control or eradication of HIV might be achieved are prominent today. These reports, however, may diverge the discussions on HIV cure leading to false expectations and hasty conclusions. After all, every new development is still just a piece of the puzzle instead of a definitive solution to HIV treatment optimization.
To our current knowledge, protection from HIV re-emergence after CCR5 targeted therapy can be achieved by suppressing the chemokine receptor to low levels, thus mimicking the nearly perfect protection against transmission in CCR5-d32 homozygous individuals. Inhibition of viral replication during this phase, as well as CCR5-independent entry inhibitors, may prevent rebound of HIV quasi-species using alternative chemokine receptors. Other strategies, such as reducing the size of the HIV reservoir, may facilitate this effect but as of now are entirely hypothetical.

https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/7/8/2816/pdf

Good luck and GOD bless,

George