A Step Towards an HIV Cure: Sustained Remission After Stem Cell Transplant
- FHS Communications
Wits researchers involved: Monique Nijhuis, Annemarie Wensing
Scientists have long searched for a cure for HIV, and while five individuals have achieved remission after receiving stem cell transplants from rare CCR5Δ32 donors, the same success has not been observed in cases with standard donor cells. A new study, featuring Wits University researchers Professors Monique Nijhuis and Annemarie Wensing, reports a breakthrough case where a person has remained in HIV remission for nearly three years after a stem cell transplant from a donor with the typical CCR5 gene.
Study Overview
The patient, who had a life-threatening blood cancer, received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) from a partially matched donor. Unlike previous successful cases that used CCR5Δ32 donor cells—naturally resistant to HIV—this transplant came from a wild-type CCR5 donor. Despite this, the patient has shown no signs of viral rebound for 32 months after stopping antiretroviral treatment.
Key Findings
Since the transplant, the patient’s viral load has remained undetectable. While low levels of defective HIV DNA were occasionally found, no intact virus was detected. Further tests showed that the patient’s immune system was not responding to HIV, suggesting that the virus is not active in the body.
Professor Wensing highlights that, while this case provides valuable insights into how HIV might be controlled, stem cell transplantation remains a high-risk procedure, only used in cases where it is medically necessary. “The procedure is too risky to be performed outside of life-threatening conditions,” she explains. However, the study offers crucial knowledge about viral behaviour and immune system function, helping scientists develop more accessible cure strategies.
Reflecting on the study’s impact, Wensing notes, “The evidence that HIV can be cured gives an important sign of hope and fuels the persistence needed to drive funding and collaborative research towards a more generalizable cure.”