It has been a long-held belief that there would never be a cure for HIV. However, researchers at the University of Sydney have discovered that a cancer drug has the potential to cure the virus.

The drug, which is used to treat cancer, was found to be effective in killing the virus in laboratory tests.

How the drug works

The drug, which is called didehydro-Cortistatin A (dCA), works by blocking the replication of the virus in human cells. HIV relies on the host’s cells to replicate, and this drug prevents the virus from doing so.

The potential of the drug

While this is a promising discovery, it is important to note that the drug has only been tested in laboratory settings and has not been tested on humans.

However, the researchers are hopeful that this drug could be developed into an effective and safe cure for HIV.

Dr. Marc Pellegrini, one of the lead researchers on the study, said, “There’s an idea out there that HIV is unbeatable, but this shows that that’s not true.”.

The importance of a cure

HIV has been a global health crisis for decades. According to the World Health Organization, there were approximately 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2019.

While antiretroviral therapy has been effective in treating the virus, it is not a cure. A cure for HIV would mean that those living with the virus could be cured and no longer have to take antiretroviral drugs for the rest of their lives.

A cure for HIV would also mean the end of new infections. Currently, around 1.7 million people worldwide become infected with HIV every year. A cure would ensure that there are no new cases of the virus.

Next steps

The researchers at the University of Sydney are planning to conduct clinical trials using the drug on humans. However, this process can take years and there is no guarantee that the drug will be successful in clinical trials.

Dr. Pellegrini said, “There’s no guarantee that this one will work, but I think it’s hard to argue against the idea that this represents progress in the search for a cure for HIV.”.

Conclusion

The discovery that a cancer drug has the potential to cure HIV is a significant breakthrough in the search for a cure for the virus. While there is still a long way to go, this discovery provides hope that a cure for HIV is possible.

The next step is to conduct clinical trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of the drug on humans.