An HIV-positive patient has become the world’s second adult to get rid of the virus after receiving a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor.
After almost three years of the transplant taking place and almost 18 months of coming off anti-retroviral drugs, tests show no sign of the virus in the patient’s system.
Ravindra Gupta, a professor and HIV biologist who was co-leading the team that was treating the man said that there is no virus there that they can measure and nor can they detect anything.
The doctors also believe that this milestone could lead to scientists curing AIDS one day. However, it doesn’t mean that the cure for HIV has been found.
Ravindra Gupta also labelled the patient as “functionally cured” and “in remission” but specifically mentioned that it’s too early to say he’s completely cured.
The doctors have been at it since 2016 and it has been a long journey of curing the ‘London patient’. According to reports, this procedure is expensive, risky and very complex.
Reports also add that the “London patient” has requested to stay anonymous and his name, age, nationality and race should not be revealed.
Congratulations to the team for making this possible!