Encouraging results from a study led by Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy mark an important milestone in HIV research. The first-in-human clinical trial tested budigalimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody commonly used in cancer therapy, to see if it could safely help people with HIV control the virus without daily antiretroviral medication (ART).
鈥淭he treatment was well tolerated, and long-term viral control was observed in about one third of participants who appeared to respond to it. While it is not a cure, these findings suggest that enhancing the immune system鈥檚 response could help keep the virus under control in certain individuals,鈥� said Dr. Routy, principal investigator of the study, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology at 海角社区, and Senior Scientist at the RI-MUHC.