HIV is spread through sexual contact, blood transfusion, or sharing needles and bodily fluids. This disease is known to attack the immune system, making susceptible to other infections and diseases, leading to death.

Many scientists and researchers have developed antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, which suppresses the viral load in the patients but cannot eliminate the virus. With recent studies, researchers have found that a new antibody treatment, which boost the immune system and destroys infected cells, can hold back the return of the virus for an extended period.

Understanding HIV infection and Treatment

HIV infection leads to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which has no cure.

Scientists and researchers have, however, developed medical treatments aimed at managing and suppressing the viral load in patients, preserving their immune systems and extending life. The treatment is a combination of antiretroviral medication, which targets different stages of the HIV lifecycle. This medication slows down the virus’s replication process, thus stopping the progress of the disease.

The treatment can be taken in various forms, including pills, injections, and a mixture of tablets and liquids. ARV treatment is tailored to an individual’s needs, and doctors may change medication or dosages over time.

While ARV treatment can improve the health of patients with HIV, it requires daily medication and can come with unpleasant side effects.

New Therapy for HIV-positive patients

In recent years, researchers have studied new methods of fighting the HIV virus, and one of the approaches included antibodies. Antibodies are proteins created by our immune systems that help us fight infections.

Scientists have identified HIV-specific antibodies that can attach to the virus and neutralize them, stopping it from infecting cells.

Several HIV-positive patient trials have been carried out using these antibodies, and the results are promising.

For instance, the HVTN 703/HPTN 081 trials carried out in North America, South America, and Africa used a combination of two antibodies – VRC01 and PGDM1400 – that target the area where HIV attaches to the cells. The results showed that the antibodies could significantly delay the return of the virus in the body.

After stopping the traditional ARV medication, the researchers monitored the patients’ viral loads using ultrasensitive testing to detect the virus’s presence in their blood.

Those who received the antibody treatment showed an 88% reduction in the risk of the virus returning after three months compared to those who did not receive the therapy.

How Does the Antibody Treatment Work?

Generally, HIV targets and infects specific cells in the body – the CD4 cells – weakening the immune system. These cells enable the virus to progress and end up affecting other body cells.

Antibodies, on the other hand, are proteins that our immune system develops to fight infections effectively. When scientists developed antibodies that could recognize and attack the HIV virus, they came up with a treatment that would potentially delay the virus’s return.

The antibody treatment aims to bolster the immune system, which has been damaged by HIV and restore the body’s ability to fight other infections.

It does this by tagging and destroying HIV-infected cells while preventing the virus from entering other cells. Scientists combine two or three antibodies to attack the virus from different angles and reduce resistance.

Challenges in Developing Antibody Treatment for HIV

Despite the promising outcomes that the antibody treatment has shown, there is still the challenge of developing a therapy that can work consistently for all HIV-positive patients.

Some patients diagnosed with HIV may develop a robust immune response, while others may not, making it challenging to administer treatment.

Additionally, there is a possibility of the virus developing resistance to treatment. An HIV virus with mutated genes can become resistant to ARV and even antibody treatments.

However, scientists have indicated that the recent studies have developed antibodies able to attack an extensive range of HIV strains. More studies are, however, needed to determine how durable the antibodies are.

The Future of HIV Treatment

The recent findings are giving hope to HIV-positive patients and their loved ones worldwide.

While the ARV treatment has allowed many HIV-positive individuals to lead normal lives, the long-term side effects and dependence on the therapy have been a challenge. The new antibody treatment could be the missing piece in the puzzle for finding a cure for HIV.

The antibody treatment has shown potential in significantly slowing down the virus’s progression, eliminating the dependency on ARV medication, which comes with unpleasant side effects.

Doctors suggest, however, that these treatments should not replace or discontinue the current ARV therapy. Instead, they should be incorporated to enhance the patient’s treatment plan.

Conclusion

The development of antibody treatment is a promising step towards finding a cure for HIV/AIDS. The recent studies have shown that antibody treatment can significantly improve the health of HIV-positive patients and delay the progression of the virus.

While it is not yet a cure, it is an excellent alternative to ARV therapy. It is important to note, however, that more studies are still required to determine the best way to administer the therapy to HIV-positive patients consistently.