Targeting Galectin-9 to Reduce Persistent HIV
Official title: Modulation of Galectin-9 to Target HIV Persistence
Funded at Vitalant · NIH-11158944 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries blocking a protein called galectin-9 to help people with HIV whose virus remains hidden despite treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vitalant NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $827,545 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI184421-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158944 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults living with HIV who are on stable ART with suppressed viral loads and willing to provide blood or tissue samples.
✕Less likely to help
People not on ART, those with uncontrolled viral loads, or those unwilling to give samples are unlikely to be helped or enrolled.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying a protein called galectin-9 that appears to help HIV hide in CD4+ T cells even when people are on antiretroviral therapy. They will measure galectin-9 levels in blood and tissues, examine how it overlaps with sites of HIV, and test whether blocking galectin-9 changes the amount of hidden HIV using lab tests and animal models. The team will use human blood and tissue samples as well as humanized mouse experiments to track HIV DNA and RNA in CD4+ T cells. Their methods aim to show whether inhibiting galectin-9 could lower the long-lived viral reservoir.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower the amount of hidden HIV in the body and move closer to a functional cure.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory and animal studies show galectin-9 can reactivate or influence HIV latency, but this approach has not yet proven beneficial in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Vitalant
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pillai, Satish Kumar — Vitalant
- Study coordinator: Pillai, Satish Kumar
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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.