HIV and AIDS cure has long been sought by experts. One of the known approaches being perfected today is immunotherapy, a technology that would be anchored on genetic alteration to control the virus from replicating.
Prominent HIV researcher, Dr. Larry Corey, aims to make a medical breakthrough in curing HIV through cell immunotherapy. He believes that by means of genetically altering T cells, the body may be aided in improving its response with towards HIV.
"HIV creates such a persistent immune deficiency that one needs to improve the human immune response to develop an approach in which one's own immune system can control the virus from replicating," Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center quoted Dr. Corey as saying. "We think that we can bring the technology of genetically altering T cells, as is being used with cancer immunotherapy, to HIV,"
As a testament to the promising HIV cure, a funding was granted to the research of Dr. Corey. The California-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences granted $2.6 million boost to the study, according to the same website.
For the said Gilead project, the expert HIV researcher will be working with other experts from the University of Washington and Oregon Health & Science University. The team will also be accompanied by a biotech company developing immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients, Juno Therapeutics. The research team will utilize the resources awarded for the project in search for a better cure for HIV.
Moreover, the Gilead project will complement the current existing research on HIV immunotherapy of Dr. Corey, dubbed as Defeat HIV Project, according to Geek Wire. The said project aims to leverage the knowledge, expertise and resources of the group to create a realistic and promising pathway towards a definitive HIV cure.
Dr. Corey and his team are on the front line of revolutionizing the search for HIV and AIDS cure. The additional resources granted to the project will augment the research and the output of the team.
Watch here below the concept of immunotherapy: