SARASOTA- Approximately 75 million people have been affected by HIV, 32 million have died. Since the beginning of the epidemic, a cure for HIV has been the hope. Now, American Gene Technologies believe they found it.
CAN Community Health’s Dr. Tanya Schreibman says it’s the most asked question at the end of every appointment. “When will there be a cure?”
“I don’t want to get people hopes up,” said Dr. Schreibman, “but also want to give people enough hope to know that there is a chance that in this lifetime they may see a cure for HIV.”
Unlike current daily medications that bring down the level of virus present in the body, Dr. Schreibman explains this new gene therapy could be a one-time treatment.
“It’s going in and essentially altering the genetics of a cell,” said Dr. Schreibman, “so that it is providing patients with immunity and that’s a cure to HIV.”
David Wyland White has been living with HIV for 25 years.
“The hope is no more medications, no more daily reminders, no more stigmas,” said Wyland White.
The hope for a cure, one that could change his health and day-to-day life in society.
“Stigma will always be there, but this will be one major deflating of the stigma, because now it’ll be seen as treatable disease,” said Wyland White.
AGT submitted an Investigational New Drug application, and pending FDA approval, clinical trials could begin as early as January, but Dr. Schreibman says its could be a while before its available to patients.
“It can take some time to make it through that process but the more we learn and the more we advance, it could lead to other breakthroughs, it can lead to other new drug options so its always a hug step in the right direction,” said Dr. Schreibman.
Wyland White has already called AGT to get into the clinical trial if the new drug, AGT103T, is approved by the FDA.
