Scientists close to HIV cure in humans after treating mice through gene-editing

In light of a recent breakthrough where scientists cured HIV via gene-editing in living animals, scientists now believe that they are closer to finding a cure for HIV for humans too.

For the first time ever, researchers have cured HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS, from the genes of living mice through CRISPR gene-editing. This discovery marks as a great achievement along the path to freeing humans from the lethal disease.

The team started by engineering mice to create human T cells susceptible to HIV infection. After infecting the mice, the researchers used a therapeutic strategy called long-acting slow-effective release antiretroviral therapy (LASER ART) in order to suppress HIV replication within mice, reported Futurism.

Gene-editing tech could make people immune to flu, HIV in future

In the end, the team then used CRISPR gene-editing technology for removing HIV DNA from the infected cells. After later analyzing the animals, it was discovered that about one-third of the animals showed no signs of HIV.

Next, the team plans on combining LASER ART and CRISPR therapy in non-human primates. If those trials go successful, the human trials will initiate within the year, as per researcher Kamel Khalili. However, though optimistic, they do realize the hurdles they would have to cross.

“Things that work in mice, may not work in men,” researcher Howard Gendelman told CNBC. “The limitations of any mouse work have to do with the species, how the drug is administered, the distribution, which is a lot easier than a man or a woman.”