HIV treatment
Blood cancer drug
attacks dormant HIV cells
H
iStock.com/Artem_Egorov
An existing blood cancer drug has shown promise in killing ‘silent’ HIV cells and delaying reinfection, which could potentially lead to a future cure for the disease.
cells and delaying viral rebound, venetoclax has
ART, finding that venetoclax was also able to
shown promise beyond that of currently approved
reduce the amount of HIV DNA in these white
treatments.”
blood cells. Co-first author Dr Youry Kim, a
He added, “Every achievement in delaying
postdoctoral researcher at the Doherty Institute,
IV primarily targets CD4+ T cells,
this virus from returning brings us closer to
said venetoclax potently reduced the amount of
a type of white blood cell crucial for the immune
preventing the disease from re-emerging in people
intact viral DNA in patient cells when studied in
system to properly function. It is within these cells
living with HIV. Our findings are hopefully a step
the laboratory.
that HIV can lie dormant, ready to reactivate if the
towards this goal.”
virus is not effectively suppressed.
“This indicates that venetoclax is selectively
The study marks the first time venetoclax has
killing the infected cells, which rely on key proteins
These hibernating, infected cells are the
been used on its own to assess HIV persistence in
to survive,” Kim said. “Venetoclax has the ability
reason why people living with HIV require lifelong
preclinical models. However, the researchers also
to antagonise one of the key survival proteins.”
treatment — antiretroviral therapy (ART) cannot
found the cancer treatment can be combined with
A Phase I/IIb clinical trial using venetoclax
target these cells, meaning it can only suppress
another drug that acts on the same pathway and
to treat HIV will start at the end of the year in
the virus rather than cure it. If a person stops
is currently in clinical trials, to achieve a longer
Denmark, with plans to expand the study to
taking their medication, the hibernating cells will
delay in viral rebound, with a shorter duration of
Melbourne in 2024. To be co-led by Doherty
reactivate within a very short time frame, leading
venetoclax treatment.
Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin, the trial
to a resurgence of the virus.
“It has long been understood that one drug
will replicate the preclinical study to assess safety
In a new study, published in the journal Cell
may not be enough to completely eliminate HIV,”
and tolerability in people living with HIV who are
Reports Medicine, researchers at the Walter and
Arandjelovic said. “This finding has supported that
on suppressive ART.
Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI)
theory, while uncovering venetoclax’s powerful
used the cancer drug venetoclax on enhanced
potential as a weapon against HIV.”
“It’s exciting to see venetoclax, which has already helped thousands of blood cancer patients,
preclinical models of HIV and found it delayed
As part of the same study, scientists at
now being repurposed as a treatment that could
the virus from rebounding by two weeks, even
The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and
also help change the lives of people living with
without ART. As noted by co-first author Dr
Immunity studied human CD4+ T cells donated
HIV and put an end to the requirement for lifelong
Philip Arandjelovic, “In attacking dormant HIV
by people living with HIV who are on suppressive
medication,” Lewin said.
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