Post by Hnefahogg on Feb 16, 2022 8:16:34 GMT
nypost.com/2022/02/15/first-woman-cured-of-hiv-thanks-to-stem-cells-from-newborns/
The first woman — and third person ever — has reportedly been cured of HIV after receiving a breakthrough treatment involving a “magical” umbilical cord blood transplant.
Researchers at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York led the study, and shared their findings during the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver the New York Times reported Tuesday. Their case study, from New York, bears significance for a number of reasons.
The “past middle-aged” woman, who chose not to be identified in the interest of privacy, was among the first to receive a novel transplant method using umbilical cord blood, fortified with a mutation that blocks HIV from entering her cells. She also received partially matched blood stem cells from a first-degree relative — a parent, offspring or sibling — while the cord blood treatment worked its way through her rejiggered immune system.
Now, just 14 months after her transplant, her blood shows no trace of the virus. The successful therapy also led to remission from leukemia that she developed in March 2017 due to HIV infection.
[...]
“We estimate that there are approximately 50 patients per year in the US who could benefit from this procedure,” van Besien told NBC News. However, “the ability to use partially matched umbilical cord blood grafts greatly increases the likelihood of finding suitable donors for such patients.”
Researchers at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York led the study, and shared their findings during the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver the New York Times reported Tuesday. Their case study, from New York, bears significance for a number of reasons.
The “past middle-aged” woman, who chose not to be identified in the interest of privacy, was among the first to receive a novel transplant method using umbilical cord blood, fortified with a mutation that blocks HIV from entering her cells. She also received partially matched blood stem cells from a first-degree relative — a parent, offspring or sibling — while the cord blood treatment worked its way through her rejiggered immune system.
Now, just 14 months after her transplant, her blood shows no trace of the virus. The successful therapy also led to remission from leukemia that she developed in March 2017 due to HIV infection.
[...]
“We estimate that there are approximately 50 patients per year in the US who could benefit from this procedure,” van Besien told NBC News. However, “the ability to use partially matched umbilical cord blood grafts greatly increases the likelihood of finding suitable donors for such patients.”
