News Release

New 'OPAL Therapy' presents simple, cost-effective method of treating HIV infection

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

Australian researchers have unveiled a new immunotherapy technique to help prevent the progression from HIV infection to AIDS. Details of the simple, cost-effective technique are published May 2nd in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens.

There is an overwhelming need for effective immunotherapies for HIV, as current therapies are expensive, impractical, and often highly toxic. The authors, led by Professor Stephen Kent, propose a technique named OPAL therapy—Overlapping Peptide-pulsed Autologous CeLls—a reinfusion of fresh blood cells incubating with overlapping SIV peptides. The OPAL technique was successfully tested in animal trials for stimulation of immunity, control of virus levels, and prevention of AIDS.

Vaccination diminished the levels of virus 10-fold lower than in controls, and was shown to be durable for over one year past initial vaccination. Therefore, viral replication was shown to be prolonged and more manageable, resulting in fewer deaths from AIDS.

###

The study is the result of collaboration among researchers from the University of Melbourne, the National Serology Reference Laboratory, and the University of New South Wales. The researchers plan to conduct future OPAL-therapy clinical trials in HIV-infected humans.

PLEASE ADD THIS LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://www.plospathogens.org/doi/ppat.1000055

CITATION: De Rose R, Fernandez CS, Smith MZ, Batten CJ, Alcaˆntara S, et al. (2008) Control of Viremia and Prevention of AIDS following Immunotherapy of SIV Infected Macaques with Peptide-Pulsed Blood. PLoS Pathog 4(5): e1000055. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000055

CONTACT:
Professor Stephen J. Kent
University of Melbourne
skent@unimelb.edu.au
+61383449939

Disclaimer

This press release refers to an upcoming article in PLoS Pathogens. The release is provided by journal staff. Any opinions expressed in these releases or articles are the personal views of the journal staff and/or article contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLoS. PLoS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the releases and articles and your use of such information.

About PLoS Pathogens

PLoS Pathogens (www.plospathogens.org) publishes outstanding original articles that significantly advance the understanding of pathogens and how they interact with their host organisms. All works published in PLoS Pathogens are open access. Everything is immediately available subject only to the condition that the original authorship and source are properly attributed. Copyright is retained by the authors. The Public Library of Science uses the Creative Commons Attribution License.

About the Public Library of Science

The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.