Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
10:20
Interview: HIV-1 Proviral DNA Excision Using an Evolved Recombinase
Published on: June 16, 2008
[HIV: vision of a cure]
1Unité VIH, Service des maladies infectieuses, Département de médecine interne, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. emmanuelle.boffi@hcuge.ch
Revue Medicale Suisse
|November 22, 2011
Summary
A patient with HIV and leukemia was cured of both diseases after a stem cell transplant. This case demonstrates that HIV can be cured, advancing gene therapy research for HIV.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Context:
- A 2008 case report detailed an HIV-positive patient with acute myeloid leukemia.
- The patient received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant from a donor with a specific CCR5 gene variant (delta32).
Purpose:
- To present a proof-of-concept for HIV cure through gene therapy.
- To review the current development stage of gene therapy strategies targeting CCR5 and CXCR4 co-receptors for HIV treatment.
Summary:
- The patient achieved remission of leukemia and undetectable HIV viral load, discontinuing antiretroviral therapy.
- This outcome suggests a potential cure for HIV, stimulating research into gene-editing techniques.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and gene therapy in curing HIV.
- Encourages further investigation into CCR5 and CXCR4 blocking strategies using RNA interference and zinc-finger nucleases.
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