Encouraging results from a study led by Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy mark an important milestone in HIV research. The first-in-human clinical trial tested budigalimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody commonly used in cancer therapy, to see if it could safely help people with HIV control the virus without daily antiretroviral medication (ART).
āThe treatment was well tolerated, and long-term viral control was observed in about one third of participants who appeared to respond to it. While it is not a cure, these findings suggest that enhancing the immune systemās response could help keep the virus under control in certain individuals,ā said Dr. Routy, principal investigator of the study, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology at ŠćÉ«Ö±²„, and Senior Scientist at the RI-MUHC.