New HIV Treatment Could Allow People To Stop Taking Medication Daily

A new clinical trial has shown that an immune-based HIV treatment may allow some people to temporarily stop taking daily medication while maintaining viral control, according to research led by Imperial College London.

The study, known as the RIO trial, investigated a treatment made up of broadly neutralising antibodies (bNAbs), specifically 3BNC117-LS and 10-1074-LS, which are designed to target different parts of the HIV virus. The trial included 68 participants in the UK and Denmark who were already on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with fully suppressed viral loads. Participants were given either the antibody combination or a placebo before stopping their standard treatment under medical supervision.

ART is currently the standard treatment for HIV. It suppresses viral replication to undetectable levels and prevents disease progression, but it does not eliminate the virus from the body, meaning it is generally required for life.

Researchers reported that 75% of participants who received the antibody therapy remained able to control the virus for at least 20 weeks after stopping ART, compared with those receiving placebo. Around half of the treated group maintained viral suppression for one year, and a smaller proportion—about one quarter—remained off medication for up to two years.

The findings were published in The Lancet HIV and described as evidence that antibody-based therapies can, in some cases, extend periods of viral control without daily treatment. The study authors stated that the results are the first demonstration of sustained viral load control of this duration and magnitude in a randomised placebo-controlled trial of this approach.

Professor Sarah Fidler of Imperial College London said: “This is the first time a bNAb-based therapy has demonstrated viral load control of this duration and magnitude in a randomised placebo-controlled trial. These results open new possibilities for HIV treatment and bring us closer to our goal of finding a cure.”

Researchers also noted that further studies are required to determine how long the effect lasts, and which patients are most likely to benefit from the treatment. ART remains the recommended standard of care for HIV, and interruption of treatment outside clinical trials is not advised due to the risk of viral rebound.