Drug used to treat cancer may also help fight HIV, Australian research finds
by Melissa Davey Medical editor from on (#5VF9G)
Pembrolizumab has revolutionised treatments of cancers, including melanoma, and makes HIV vulnerable to attack
New research co-led by the director of the Doherty Institute, Prof Sharon Lewin, has found a medicine used to treat cancer can also draw HIV out of hibernation, exposing the virus to the immune system and making it more susceptible to attack.
HIV's ability to hide" in cells, even in people on antiretroviral therapy and with undetectable amounts of the virus in their blood, is one of the significant barriers to finding a cure for the disease.
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