Blocking infected immune cell growth right after starting HIV treatment
Early intervention with anti-proliferative therapy close to ART initiation to limit long-term SIV persistence
Short-term drugs that slow CD4+ T cell growth given around the start of HIV treatment for people with new infections to try to shrink the long-term hidden HIV reservoir.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322056 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient's point of view, researchers are using lab models and animal work to see if giving anti-proliferative drugs during the first few weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy limits how much HIV stays hidden in immune cells. They developed a computer model showing a critical window in weeks 1–4 after infection when CD4+ T cells rapidly expand, and they will test a library of immunomodulatory and chemotherapeutic agents alone and in combination during that window. The team will measure how these treatments affect the size and clonal makeup of the proviral reservoir. Results will guide whether this approach should move into human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The intended candidates would be people with very recent (primary) HIV infection who start antiretroviral therapy within the first weeks after infection.
Not a fit: People with long-established HIV infections who began ART long after initial infection are unlikely to gain benefit from an early-window anti-proliferative approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce the long-term HIV reservoir and move us closer to reducing or stopping lifelong HIV therapy.
How similar studies have performed: This strategy is largely preclinical and relatively novel, with encouraging laboratory findings but limited evidence yet from human trials.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schiffer, Joshua Tisdell — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Schiffer, Joshua Tisdell
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.