A cure for AIDS: a matter of timing?

Retrovirology. 2013 Nov 22:10:145. doi: 10.1186/1742-4690-10-145.

Abstract

Despite the huge clinical success of antiretroviral therapy, several factors such as side effects, requirement of life-long adherence, high cost, incomplete access to therapies and development of drug resistance make the quest for an ultimate cure of HIV/AIDS a worldwide priority of biomedical research. In this respect, several sterilizing or functional cures have been reported in the last years in both non-human primates and humans. This review provides a summary of the main results achieved so far, outlining their strengths as well as their limitations. A synthetic interpretation of these results could be pivotal in order to develop an effective and widely available cure.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / therapy*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biological Therapy / methods*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Disease Eradication*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents