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Experts from the Amsterdam University Medical Center claim to have successfully eradicated HIV from infected cells in lab experiments. They used the Crispr process. Crispr uses specific enzymes to cut off DNA strands, similar to how scissors work.
According to the study’s author, Dr. Elena Herrera-Carrillo, this technology could help locate and eradicate the virus. She was quoted by the Sun as saying, “It is quite early to declare that there is a cure on the horizon, but these preliminary findings are very encouraging.”
More than 95% of British people who carry the virus have such low levels that it cannot be detected in their blood or transmitted. However, they require long-term treatment, and the condition can be fatal for those who are unaware of their illness or live in developing countries without access to quality healthcare.
Major HIV breakthrough: AIDS-causing virus ‘eliminated’ from infected cells in laboratory trials”
The primary reason HIV is so difficult to cure is its ability to hide in small, undetectable compartments after embedding itself in a patient’s genes. “Our next step is to target HIV reservoir cells by optimizing the delivery route. Our goal is to achieve the ideal balance of safety and efficacy. Clinical trials of a “cure” in humans to shut down the HIV reservoir can then be considered, according to Herrera-Carrillo.
Dr. Herrera-Carrillo’s current technology is massive, and it has the potential to cause significant cell damage in living subjects.
Researchers believe that Crispr gene editing will eventually be used to treat cancer, dementia, blindness, and hereditary disorders.
Dr. Jonathan Stoye of the Francis Crick Institute stated, “The idea of a cure for Aids using Crispr-Cas9 technology to purge the body of HIV has enormous appeal,” according to The Sun. He wasn’t involved in the work.