One-Time Triple Regimen Clears HIV in Infant Macaque Model

Overview

• The study published in Nature Microbiology on Monday reported that a single, three-part treatment given within 72 hours of confirmed exposure prevented viral rebound in an infant macaque model.
• The regimen paired standard antiretroviral drugs with two broadly neutralizing anti‑envelope antibodies and leronlimab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the CCR5 entry receptor to stop the virus entering immune cells.
• All eight macaques that received the full triple therapy showed no detectable rebound for at least one year, including after researchers depleted CD8 immune cells as a stress test, while control animals and animals missing one or more components did rebound.
• Researchers caution that hidden virus could persist in tissues such as bone marrow or the brain, that the approach likely would not work against CXCR4‑tropic HIV variants, and that two lead authors have reported financial ties to a company with interest in leronlimab.
• Next steps include more preclinical work to probe timing limits and tissue reservoirs and phased human trials likely beginning with newly exposed adults because about 120,000 babies are born with HIV each year and newborn safety and timing must be established first.