Breakthrough HIV trial offers hope for drug-free remission

A SCIENTIFIC breakthrough that could transform the fight against HIV has emerged from KwaZulu-Natal.

- HOPE NTWANZI

The first in Africa clinical trial aimed at achieving long-term HIV remission — without lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) — has been conducted, sparking new hope in the global search for a cure.

Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, a leading scientist at the Africa Health Research Institute and professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), has announced results from a pioneering study that could redefine how HIV is treated. The trial — the first of its kind on the continent — marks a critical shift from managing the virus with daily medication to the tantalising possibility of drug-free remission.

The study involved 20 South African women living with HIV and tested a novel combination of two potent antibodies VRC01 and CAP256 with an immune stimulant, Vesatolimod (VES).

The aim? To rouse the virus from its hiding places in the body and give the immune system a fighting chance to control it — potentially without ART.

“This is a pivotal moment for HIV science in Africa,” Ndung’u said, noting that this was no ordinary study: “It’s the first HIV remission trial conducted in African soil, a leap of collaboration, partnership and perseverance to make it happen.”

The backdrop of this research could not be more critical. In parts of KwaZulu-Natal, including the Umkhanyakude and uMgungundlovu districts, nearly 60% of women aged 30-34 are living with HIV. For Ndung’u, the mission is deeply personal and rooted in the world impact.