In a significant medical breakthrough, a 60-year-old man from Germany is believed to have become the seventh person effectively cured of HIV following a pioneering stem cell transplant. This revolutionary treatment, though highly risky and reserved for individuals with both HIV and aggressive leukemia, marks a hopeful step forward in the fight against the deadly virus affecting nearly 40 million people worldwide.
Dubbed the “next Berlin patient,” in reference to Timothy Ray Brown who was the first person declared HIV-free in 2008, this anonymous German man’s success underscores the potential of innovative medical interventions. Brown, sadly, succumbed to cancer in 2020, but his legacy lives on in advancing HIV research and treatment.
This groundbreaking announcement precedes the 25th International AIDS Conference set to convene in Munich next week, where the achievement of long-term HIV remission in the second Berlin patient will undoubtedly be a topic of intense interest and discussion among medical professionals and researchers alike.
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He was initially diagnosed with HIV in 2009, as detailed in the research abstract to be presented at the conference. Following a bone marrow transplant for his leukemia in 2015, a procedure carrying a 10 percent risk of mortality, the treatment effectively replaced his immune system. Subsequently, he ceased taking anti-retroviral drugs—medications that lower HIV levels in the bloodstream—in late 2018.
Nearly six years later, he appears to be free from both HIV and cancer, according to medical researchers. Christian Gaebler, a doctor and researcher at Berlin’s Charite university hospital who is involved in the patient’s care, informed AFP that the team cannot be “absolutely certain” every last trace of HIV has been eradicated. However, Gaebler emphasized, “the patient’s case is highly suggestive of an HIV cure. He feels well and is enthusiastic about contributing to our research efforts.”
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International AIDS Society President Sharon Lewin explained that researchers are cautious about using the term “cure” because the duration of follow-up required for such cases remains uncertain. However, Lewin noted during a press conference that more than five years in remission indicates the man “would be close” to being considered cured.
Lewin highlighted a significant distinction between this case and other HIV patients who have achieved long-term remission. She pointed out that all except one of the other patients received stem cells from donors possessing a rare mutation where part of their CCR5 gene was absent. This mutation blocks HIV from entering the cells of their bodies. These donors inherited two copies of the mutated CCR5 gene—one from each parent—rendering them “essentially immune” to HIV, Lewin explained.
In contrast, the new Berlin patient is the first to have received stem cells from a donor who inherited only one copy of the mutated gene. About 15 percent of individuals of European descent carry one mutated copy, whereas only one percent carry two. Researchers are optimistic that this recent success indicates a potentially much larger pool of donors in the future.
Lewin emphasized that the new case also holds promise for broader efforts to find an HIV cure applicable to all patients. “This is because it suggests that you don’t actually have to eliminate every single piece of CCR5 for gene therapy to be effective,” she added.
The Geneva patient, whose case was announced at last year’s AIDS conference, represents the other exception among the seven. Despite receiving a transplant from a donor without any CCR5 mutations, he too achieved long-term remission.
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