Targeting and eliminating hidden HIV reservoirs using injectable therapies
Official title: Eliminating the latent reservoir by targeted in vivo delivery of HIV-specific CARs
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11043252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people living with HIV by using special injections that target and eliminate hidden HIV cells in the body, aiming to create a more effective treatment for the virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $758,836 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI167061-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11043252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living with HIV who have not responded adequately to current treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not living with HIV or those who have advanced AIDS may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new method to eliminate hidden reservoirs of HIV in the body using injectable therapies. By combining mRNA lipid nanoparticles with HIV-specific CAR technology, the researchers aim to create agents that can be infused directly into individuals living with HIV. The approach involves optimizing these agents in laboratory studies and then testing their effectiveness in humanized mouse models and non-human primates. This innovative strategy seeks to improve the targeting of HIV-infected cells, potentially leading to a more effective treatment for HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a groundbreaking treatment that effectively eliminates HIV from the body.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using mRNA-LNPs for HIV treatment is innovative, similar strategies have shown promise in other areas of immunotherapy, indicating potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Riley, James L. — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Riley, James L.
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.