Healing AIDS possible in 5 years

HIV symposium near Munich: In five years, a complete cure of AIDS could be possible

17/03/2012

The immune deficiency disease AIDS could in all probability be curable in just over five years. The internist and director of the renowned 14th Munich Aids and Hepatitis Day, Dr. med. med. Hans Jäger. At the congress, scientists report on new therapeutic approaches that could make it possible to cure immune deficiency disease in the near future.

AIDS could be cured in five years
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 34 million people worldwide carry the HIV virus. About 30 years ago, the HI virus was first discovered. To date, about 37 million people have died of AIDS. Every year around 500 people in Germany die of the currently incurable disease. Leading scientists, however, today see many new approaches to advancing recovery from HIV patients. "Healing research has made more progress in the past 12 months than ever before," said Jäger on the sidelines. The expert believes that "a realistic period of time in which we can cure is five years." However, the research is not yet ready to realize a protective vaccine. "We do not have vaccinations and will not get them in the next few years," says the expert.

First successful cure already three years ago
That the statements are not as futuristic as they sound, showed a successful bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in 2008 in Berlin. Specialists had freed a patient from the virus at the Berlin University Hospital Charité. After the successful operation, there were no HI viruses in the patient's blood. However, the more accidentally discovered treatment method is too costly to apply to all those affected, said Jäger. The 42-year-old patient had received bone marrow cells from a donor apparently immune to the AIDS-causing virus. About one percent of all people have an endogenous defense system that does not give the AIDS virus a chance. It was precisely these findings that inspired many research approaches.

Cancer drug reaches hidden cells
Hopeful, however, is making a therapy that was recently presented at an international congress in Seattle. With the anti-cancer drug Vorinostat, it has been possible in extensive studies to get to hidden cells in which the virus slumbered despite drug treatment. Although a large number of viruses can be killed with the drugs developed so far, many survive in so-called slumber cells. "This drug has managed to release viruses from latently infected cells, which can then be reached and destroyed by the known drugs."

HI virus load can keep small with medicines
Even today, the funds could minimize the burden of viruses in the blood so that infection by transfer is practically no longer possible. This is fundamentally important, especially for couples, so that the uninfected partner is not infected. Only with the help of the medication could patients continue a relatively normal life. The concept of this treatment is called "prevention through therapy," says the internist.

Preventions and efforts must not be allowed to subside
From 16 to 18 March, doctors, researchers, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, affected and caregivers discuss the latest state of knowledge and research at the AIDS and hepatitis days near Munich. Despite many encouraging reports about the declining rate of new HIV infections in Germany for some time now, "our efforts in prevention and healing should not be allowed to go down", Jäger warned at the beginning of the event. Because worldwide, the numbers of infections and deaths are increasing. Therefore, "intensive research and adequate therapies are more important than ever." About 1500 experts attend the congress. Through networking, it will be possible at the weekend, the latest knowledge of the 19th CROI (Conference of Retroviruses and Oportunistic Infections) which took place a few days before the symposium in the United States to incorporate. In addition to the transfer of expertise, topics such as homosexuality and HIV infections in Islam as well as preventive work in schools have been added. In addition to physicians, those involved in the workshops and seminars are also involved. The conference will take place until Sunday. (Sb)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann