Groundbreaking Case of HIV Cure via Stem Cell Transplant
In a remarkable development, a woman of mixed race has potentially been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant. This case, reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), represents the third known instance of HIV remission achieved through such a procedure and offers significant hope for future treatments.
The Case Details
The patient had been managing her HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART) when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. To treat the leukemia, she received a stem cell transplant in 2017 using cord blood cells that carried a rare genetic mutation known as CCR5Δ32, which confers resistance to HIV. This transplant was supplemented with partially matched stem cells from a relative to expedite immune recovery.
Following the transplant, the patient’s HIV levels became undetectable, and she was able to cease ART without the virus reemerging. More than 30 months post-transplant, she remains free of HIV, marking a significant milestone in HIV treatment and research.
Previous Cases and Implications
This groundbreaking case follows the documented successes of the “Berlin patient” and the “London patient,” both of whom achieved long-term HIV remission after receiving similar stem cell transplants. The Berlin patient remained HIV-free for 12 years until his death from leukemia in 2020, while the London patient has been in remission for over 30 months.
The use of cord blood stem cells, which require less stringent matching criteria than adult stem cells, could make such treatments more feasible for a diverse population, particularly non-White patients who might struggle to find compatible donors.
While stem cell transplants are complex and carry significant risks, such as graft-versus-host disease, this case underscores the potential for expanding HIV cure research. Currently, stem cell transplants are only considered for individuals with life-threatening conditions like leukemia, not solely for HIV treatment. However, for people with HIV who need a transplant for other medical reasons, this approach could broaden the scope of available treatment options.
