Drug Shown to Eradicate HIV in Mice

A study published in this week's issue of "Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy," the official journal of the American Society for Microbiology, reports that a promising new drug eradicates HIV infection in mice.

Engineered to have a human immune system, the mice were infected with the HIV virus to mimic human AIDS. Instead of inhibiting the function of certain components of the AIDS virus, this new agent prevents production of building units essential for the formation of the virus.

As a result, this agent was found to be 100-1,000 times more active than any other anti-HIV agent produced to date. The drug, which contains a potent antiviral protein from the pokeweed plant, works like a magic bullet delivering the plant-derived inhibitor selectively to AIDS infected cells. The mice in this study were cured of human AIDS without side effects. Furthermore, therapeutic drug levels were achieved in monkeys without side effects. Lead author of the paper is Dr. Fatih Uckun, Hughes Chair in Immunology, Hughes Institute, St. Paul, Minn.

Based on these very promising results, the Food and Drug Administration has granted permission to initiate clinical testing of this drug in HIV infected patients at several treatment centers in the United States.

In addition, the Medicines Control Council in South Africa granted permission for clinical investigation of this agent in African patients infected with the AIDS virus.

Editorial note : And?? Would you care to tell us what agent this is?? Or could this be just another "too good to be true" story??

SOURCE: Wayne Hughes Institute