Researchers successfully eliminate HIV virus from human cells

The Temple University School of Medicine research team's approach looks promising as they work towards a permanent cure and potential for protection against HIV.

"This is one important step on the path toward a permanent cure for AIDS," says Kamel Khalili, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Temple.

Via press release:

When deployed, a combination of a DNA-snipping enzyme called a nuclease and a targeting strand of RNA called a guide RNA (gRNA) hunt down the viral genome and excise the HIV-1 DNA.

From there, the cell's gene repair machinery takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in virus-free cells.

One of the many difficulties involved, even with this good news, is the fact that HIV virus is prone to mutation, complicating any cure's potential effectiveness.

This news comes on the heels of a report published at the 20th International AIDS Conference announcing HIV infection rates in general have dropped here in the U.S.

(via Towleroad)