BRIT CURED OF HIV

Man’s all-clear after stem cell transplant

DAILY STAR, Wednesday, March 6, 2019

A BRIT has been “cured” of HIV after having a stem cell transplant.

The unnamed man, known as the “London patient”, is said to be in “sustained remission” from the virus.

He was diagnosed in 2003 and began taking drugs to control HIV, which causes Aids, in 2012.

The patient developed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma the same year and agreed to a stem cell transplant in 2016, aimed at treating the cancer.

Doctors found a donor for the transplant who had a rare gene mutation that gives natural resistance to HIV. The patient, who was treated at Hammersmith Hospital in west London, has now been in remission for 18 months after his anti-retroviral drugs were discontinued.

Researchers from University College London and Imperial College say it is too early to say if he is definitely “now cured”.

But it offers “new hope” in the search for a cure. Professor Eduardo Olavarria, from Imperial College London, said: “While it is too premature to say with certainty that our patient is now cured of HIV, he is clearly in a long-term remission.

“We continue to monitor his condition.

“However, the apparent success of this treatment injects new hope in the search for a long-awaited cure for HIV/ Aids.”

The Brit is the second man to be “cured” of HIV.

The first was Timothy Ray Brown, an American who was treated in Germany 12 years ago. He is still free of HIV today.

Known as the “Berlin Patient”, he said he would like to meet the London patient and would encourage him to go public.

He added: “It’s been very useful for science and for giving hope to HIV-positive people.”

Professor Ravindra Gupta added: “Finding a way to eliminate the virus entirely is an urgent global priority.”