A group of researchers has found that a drug used to treat leukemia may be helpful in ridding HIV positive patients of the disease. The report was published by a UK newspaper and it revealed that some researchers have been conducting trials on monkeys that yielded these results.
The study used monkeys to research HIV
The report revealed that 4 infected monkeys were used for the study. Two were given arsenic trioxide and after a period of 80 days, no traces of HIV were detected in them. The other two also showed decreased levels of the virus but it was not enough to be considered as a case of remission.
The study was conducted by a group of researchers working at King’s College London and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The results of this study were published in Advanced Science. It showed that two of the monkeys showed full recovery from AIDS. Scientists are hopeful that this treatment along with other antiretroviral regimens may be able to eliminate HIV completely from the human body.
Stem cell treatment for HIV riskier
These last few months have been revolutionary in the treatment of HIV/AIDS because scientists managed to cure two patients of the virus by using stem cell treatment.
Furthermore, it was revealed that stem cell transplant treatments are much riskier than this route. However, since there is not enough research to support the drug, it cannot be introduced in humans yet. Researchers have said that they need to conduct more trials before introducing the drug to the market.