Induction of durable remission by dual immunotherapy in SHIV-infected ART-suppressed macaques. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38422185/)

These scientists wanted to find a way to help monkeys infected with a virus similar to HIV. They tried a treatment with a medicine called Anktiva (N-803) and special antibodies that can fight off the virus. They gave this treatment to monkeys that were already taking medicine to control the virus.

After giving the monkeys the treatment, they saw that the virus was controlled even after stopping the regular medicine. The treatment activated the monkeys' immune systems and caused a temporary increase in the virus, but it didn't completely get rid of the virus in the monkeys.

When they stopped the regular medicine, the virus came back in all the monkeys, but in about 70% of the monkeys that got the new treatment, the virus was controlled again. This control was linked to changes in a type of immune cell called CD8(+) T cells caused by the new treatment.

Overall, the scientists found that completely getting rid of the virus might not be necessary to keep it under control in the long term.

Lim SY., Lee J., Osuna CE., Vikhe P., Schalk DR., Chen E., Fray E., Kumar M., Schultz-Darken N., Rakasz E., Capuano S., Ladd RA., Gil HM., Evans DT., Jeng EK., Seaman M., Martin M., Van Dorp C., Perelson AS., Wong HC., Siliciano JD., Siliciano R., Safrit JT., Nixon DF., Soon-Shiong P., Nussenzweig M., Whitney JB. Induction of durable remission by dual immunotherapy in SHIV-infected ART-suppressed macaques. Science. 2024 Feb 29:eadf7966. doi: 10.1126/science.adf7966.