An AIDS virus genetically engineered to fight other AIDS viruses worked better than expected, suppressing the virus and renewing the immune systems of a few patients, researchers reported on Monday.
The study involved just five people, and such an approach needs years more study, they cautioned -- but the surprising results offer new hope both for the field of gene therapy and for treating the fatal and incurable AIDS virus.
"The goal of this phase I trial was safety and feasibility and the results established that," said Dr. Carl June of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who led the study.
"But the results also hint at something much more," he added.
"It seemed to have a vaccine-like effect in that the immune system was better in most of the patients than when they enrolled. We are trying to study the mechanism."
The AIDS virus infects close to 40 million people worldwide and has killed 25 million. A cocktail of drugs can help control infection, but there is no cure and no vaccine.
The drugs cause sometimes severe side-effects in some patients and the virus can evolve resistance, so that patients have to move to new drug combinations.
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