4 Children with HIV Surpass a Year of Remission After a Pause in their Treatment

4 children hiv pause in treatment HIV remission antiretroviral therapy

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Mar 08, 10:10 am

Results from a research funded by the National Institutes of Health affirm that four children born with HIV continue to be virus-free for over a year after discontinuing their HIV treatment.

Study On Antiretroviral Therapy

The findings of the P1115 study were presented at the 2024 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Denver, Colorado.

This study concentrates on the effect of early intensive antiretroviral therapy on achieving HIV remission in infants afflicted with the virus before birth.

Although the HIV eventually resurfaced in the children, the fact that they lived for more than a year without medication and with no detectable virus provides renewed hope for scientists.

It recommends the probability of having long-term remission in children born with HIV. While there is presently no cure for HIV, current medications empower individuals to lead long and healthy lives, necessitating lifelong medications to keep the virus in test.

The study highlighted the potential for short-term treatment during childhood instead of lifelong medication.

The "Mississippi Baby," born with HIV in 2010, initially showed signs of a cure with early and aggressive antiretroviral therapy but tested positive again at the age of 4.

The NIH invested significantly in global research studies exploring this possibility, and the presented data at CROI summarized the outcomes of one such study.

Although all children in the study eventually experienced HIV recurrence, the period of undetectable virus without medication suggests the potential for treating children born with HIV for a limited time during childhood, paving the way for a paradigm shift in antiretroviral therapy.

Adeodata Kekitiinwa, a study investigator, conveyed optimism about this trial bringing us nearer to a scenario where antiretroviral therapy could be used efficiently for a season of life rather than lifelong medication.

Findings Show the Children Remained HIV-Free for Over a Year

New findings presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Denver announce that four children, who attained HIV in utero, have remained free of observable HIV for over a year.

The study, part of continuing multinational research led by scientists from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, marked the outcomes of early intensive antiretroviral therapy (ART) on achieving HIV remission in infants tainted before birth.

Children typically need lifelong ART to restrain the virus, posing difficulties for families due to the worry of daily treatment with nasty side effects.

The study involved children receiving ART within 48 hours of birth, and some were eligible for ART interruption.

Surprisingly, four children experienced HIV remission for 48 to 80 weeks without detectable virus, exceeding expectations.

While all children eventually saw the return of HIV, the extended remission period suggests the potential for treating children born with HIV for a limited time during childhood.

The researchers aim to explore earlier ART interruption, improved drug tolerability, and the addition of broadly neutralizing antibodies in future studies.

The findings build on previous research indicating that very early ART initiation may limit HIV reservoirs in infants. The study duplicates and increases upon results observed in the "Mississippi baby" case, showing the emphasis of immediate neonatal testing and medication initiation for infants possibly exposed to HIV.

The continuing research, known as IMPAACT P1115, is directed by the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) network, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and co-funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).