7th International AIDS Society Conference, Kuala Lumpur, June 2013:
In November 2012 and March 2013, researchers in France reported on 14 HIV-positive individuals who had gone on HIV therapy in early infection and then eventually stopped treatment, without a lasting rebound of the virus. Such individuals, dubbed post-treatment controllers by the principal investigators of the VISCONTI Cohort, have been off treatment now for between 4–10 years without having lasting increases in HIV above 50 copies in blood.
Such individuals aren’t “cured” in the most traditional sense, but there is reason to suspect that many will be able to remain off HIV treatment for an untold number of years, perhaps sparing them any residual lasting side effects
In the most recent update at the conference, another 4 people have been added to the analysis. CD4 counts ranged 544–915, and most had CD4 counts at or above 900. Three of the 18 had a viral rebound after treatment interruption, which was lasting and significant in two. There was no residual virus below 20 to 50 copies (down to 5 copies) in 13 individuals, but some residual virus in five people (median of 45 copies).
Researchers believe that the French patients can’t be the only people to have started treatment early and then successfully interrupted treatment. They have now launched a multi-national effort to find other post-treatment controllers.