A breakthrough in HIV research has brought scientists closer to finding a cure for the virus. Researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute in Melbourne have developed a method to make the virus visible, paving the way to fully clear it from the body. The technique uses mRNA technology and a specially formulated fat bubble to deliver instructions to cells where HIV is hiding.
The ability of HIV to conceal itself inside white blood cells has long been a challenge for scientists. This “reservoir” of infected cells can reactivate and evade the immune system, making treatment difficult. The new approach involves delivering mRNA into these cells, which then instructs them to reveal the virus.
The discovery is based on existing mRNA technology used in Covid-19 vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech. Researchers have developed a new type of nanoparticle, LNP X, that can be accepted by the white blood cells. The team believes this could be a new pathway to an HIV cure.
While further research is needed to determine if revealing the virus is enough to allow the immune system to deal with it, the study’s findings are promising. The path to using this technology in humans will require successful animal trials and safety testing before efficacy trials can begin.
The discovery has broader implications beyond HIV, as the relevant white blood cells are also involved in other diseases, including cancers.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/05/breakthrough-in-search-for-hiv-cure-leaves-researchers-overwhelmed