HIV antibody kills 91% of HIV strains

Scientists have discovered an antibody that cures 91% of HIV strains. The human body is capable of creating antibodies for many diseases.

The challenge for researchers is to create a vaccine that prompts antibody growth prior to any potential infection. This type of research may also be of use in creating influenza vaccines.

Yahoo News reports, “The findings “show that the immune system can make very potent antibodies against HIV,” said Dr. John Mascola, a vaccine researcher and co-author of two new studies published online July 8 in the journal Science. The goal is to vaccinate individuals and have their own immune systems make an antibody like this,” he said. “To do that, we have to design a new vaccine, study it first in animal models, and then try it in small scale human studies, and see if it does what we expect it to do. That takes a quite a bit of time and effort.”

WSJ says, “The HIV antibodies were discovered in the cells of a 60-year-old African-American gay man, known in the scientific literature as Donor 45, whose body made the antibodies naturally. The trick for scientists now is to develop a vaccine or other methods to make anyone’s body produce them as well.”

“While he has produced the most powerful HIV antibody yet discovered, researchers say they don’t know of anything special about his genes that would make him unique. They expect that most people would be capable of producing the antibodies, if scientists could find the right way to stimulate their production.”