Boosting innate immunity to help control HIV
I2 Control= Modulating Innate Immunity to Achieve Control of HIV
This project combines a drug that activates the body's innate immune response with HIV-blocking antibodies to help people living with HIV on ART clear hidden infected cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11523468 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have HIV and are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), researchers are testing whether an innate immune engager (a TLR9 agonist) together with broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies can make your immune cells better at finding and killing infected cells. The team will analyze blood and gut samples from people who received this combination to study changes in killer T cells, natural killer cells, antibody activity, the microbiome, and metabolites. They will look for signs that treated immune cells can prevent new infections of target cells after a monitored treatment interruption. Results will help design future clinical visits involving infusions, sample collection, and carefully supervised ART pauses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV who are on stable ART with an undetectable viral load and willing to receive immune-stimulating infusions, provide blood and gut samples, and possibly undergo a monitored treatment interruption are the best matches.
Not a fit: People with uncontrolled HIV, those not on ART, children, or anyone with medical conditions that make immune stimulation or treatment interruption unsafe are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower the number of hidden HIV-infected cells and help move toward a functional cure or safer ART interruptions.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier trials found that reactivating HIV without boosting immunity does not shrink the reservoir, while small studies combining innate immune stimulants and broadly neutralizing antibodies have shown encouraging immune responses but not yet definitive cures.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sekaly, Rafick Pierre — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sekaly, Rafick Pierre
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.