Hidden hiv virus can be forced out of hiding

Preliminary results from a clinical study by HIV researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark confirm the hypothesis that a new drug can reactivate latent HIV in humans. The results were presented today to other international researchers at the 'HIV Cure Symposium' in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

When HIV penetrates the body, it integrates into the DNA of certain immune cells and enters  a resting state. In this resting state, cells carrying HIV in their genome are unrecognisable to the immune system. Antiretroviral medicine  effectively suppresses  virus production and thus,  HIV disease progression, but currently there is no treatment that can  remove the latent HIV  hidden in these cells.

A group of researchers from Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University has used a drug called panobinostat (LBH589) - a so-called HDAC inhibitor - which was previously shown to activate hidden HIV virus in laboratory tests. In theory this means that it will be easier for the immune system to trace and fight the cells hiding the virus.

Now researchers have taken a further step. During treatment of 15 Danish HIV-infected patients with panobinostat (LBH589), an increase in HIV in the blood has been measured. This means that the researchers have successfully forced the immune cells carrying HIV out of their resting state, which is a prerequisite for allowing the immune system to identify and eliminate  these cells. None of the patients have experienced serious side effects. Yet, the researchers urge to interpret the results with caution.

"It has never previously been seen that HDAC inhibitors can force hidden virus out of otherwise inactive immune cells to an extent where this can be measured in the blood in persons infected with HIV. Therefore, these are  groundbreaking results. However, it is important to stress that we are not close to a cure against HIV, but we have taken a small step further towards a cure. The next challenge is whether the patients' immune system can identify the cells with virus and kill them," says Head of Research Martin Tolstrup, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital.

 Facts

• The study is made in collaboration with specialists in Melbourne, Boston, Sydney and Colorado; the study is conducted at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark.
• Globally, 33 million people are infected with HIV.
• The first significant results involving 15 HIV patients at Aarhus University Hospital show that HIV virus can be activated by panobinostat (LBH589), a so-called HDAC inhibitor, originally developed for cancer treatment.
• The Danish Council for Strategic Research – the Individuals. Disease and Society programme – has supported the project with DKK 12 million. The American organisation amfAR – the Foundation for AIDS Research – and the Danish AIDS Fondet have also supported the study.

Further information

Ole Schmeltz Søgaard, MD, Senior Researcher
Aarhus University, Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital
Tel.:+45 2721 5985
ole.schmeltz.sogaard@ki.au.dk

Thomas Rasmussen, MD, PhD-student
Aarhus University and Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital
Tel.: +45 3170 2964
thomas.rasmussen@ki.au.dk

Martin Tolstrup, Head of Research
Aarhus University and Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital

Tel.: +45 2067 9741

mtol@svf.au.dk

Lars Østergaard, Professor, Head Consultant

Aarhus University and Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital
Tel.:+45 5151 3140
lars.ostergaard@ki.au.dk