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HIV Breakthrough May Lead to Vaccine


VRCO1  binding to HIV X390 (NIAID/VRC) | ADVOCATE.COM
The above illustration depicts antibody VRCO1 (blue and green) binding to HIV (gray and red). 

A discovery of three antibodies that neutralize 91% of HIV strains has the potential to lead to a vaccine, according to an article published inSciencemagazine.

The antibodies were culled from the body of a 60-year-old gay African-American man, referred to as Donor 45, who has been HIV-positive for the last 20 years. According to the The Wall Street Journal, the research team designed a specially crafted probe to exactly emulate the molecular site where the HIV-neutralizing antibodies attack.

Gary Nabel, director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and leader of the research team, stressed that applications using the antibodies must be designed to overcome the virus's constant mutations.

Possible uses for the antibodies include a raw-form drug, a microbicide gel to be applied before sexual intercourse, and a stimulant that would cause the immune system to produce the antibodies before infection. There is also the possibility of boosting the effectiveness of existing anti-HIV medications.

Experiments are in progress, but as Nabel asserts, "We're going to be at this for a while."

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Charles
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 1:33:58 PM
    Hometown: Austin, TX

    Comment:

    It's interesting how major medical breakthroughs often seem to use African-American biological samples. Hopefully this man is being compensated better than Henrietta Lacks was when she donated her biological material to science. Ms. Lacks was so poor she didn't even have a tombstone for 60 years after her death. Her family is finally being appropriately compensated because her biological material that provided breakthroughs in polio research is being used to the present day.

  • Name: Michael Fink
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 8:28:33 AM
    Hometown: Sharon Massachusetts

    Comment:

    90% is a big success in my opinion who knows if it can do that maybe it can eliminate the virus when a person 1st gets it I mean there a plenty of antibody shots that if u use it right away it can stop a major disease examples: The Influenza shot it works only in first stage or to prevent, swine flu same thing only in stage 1, this could be a huge breakthrough who know it may not be the cure but it may be able to eliminate further spreading and in 80-100 years HIV could be a thing like leprace oh that does noot happen anymore unless ur too poor for the shots!

  • Name: Ronald
    Date posted: 7/10/2010 4:55:48 PM
    Hometown: Utica NY

    Comment:

    I am sure the drug companies won't want a successful vaccine or cure! Too much money to be made on treatment. Nothing to be made if the disease is cured! The insurance companies would probably support a cure... less expense for them down the road. Another erason why we need Universal Health Care... a system focused on curing, not just treating disease.

  • Name: chad
    Date posted: 7/10/2010 10:46:43 AM
    Hometown: sf

    Comment:

    that's great, but will insurance and drug companies lobby the FDA to not allow it to be marketed....they make a fortune off of us



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