Till date more than 70 million people have been infected by the HIV virus, and about 35 million of them have died due to HIV, according to the World Health Organization. Even now, every year, 4 lakh people die from the HIV virus.
All of that could soon be history, thanks to a breakthrough in gene-editing therapy which has successfully eliminated HIV virus from lab mice, with hope for a 100% human HIV cure coming soon.
HIV particles infecting a human cell // National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
According to a research paper in Nature Communications, CRISPR-Cas9 was used along with a new form of anti-retroviral therapy (used especially for HIV virus which attaches itself to an infected person's DNA), that has successfully managed to eliminate all traces of the HIV virus from the genetics of a living animal -- something that had never been done before.
The breakthrough HIV virus research claims to have conducted successful experiments on genetically modified lab mice (with similarities with humans), and the team led by Kamel Khalili from Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University successfully removed 100% traces of the HIV virus in more than 30% of infected mice, as per a Gizmodo report.
"We now have a clear path to move ahead to trials in non-human primates and possibly clinical trials in human patients within the year," said Khalili in a press release after the successful HIV virus elimination technique.
reuters
This new HIV virus cure has brought the spotlight back on CRISPR gene editing technique, which was also used by controversial Chinese geneticist He Jiankui to genetically modify twin girls at the embryo stage, defying his country's laws, and arguably his ethical responsibilities as well. Ironically, he had eliminated the gene that was susceptible to the HIV virus in the gene-edited Chinese twin girls.
In the past, scientists have also used CRISPR to create an antidote for one of the deadliest venoms in the world, thanks to genetics research.
Reuters
For the purpose of this HIV virus elimination, the researchers of the successful gene-editing technique suggest human trials will begin soon, and they hope to have a 100% HIV AIDS cure for humans by next year.
And for the sake of people suffering everywhere in the world -- as many as 5000 HIV afflictions every day, according to UNAIDS -- we hope relief comes swiftly without delay.