Triple Therapy Blocks HIV Reservoir in 8 Infant Macaques 1 Year After Stopping Treatment
Updated
Updated · Nature.com · Aug 10
Triple Therapy Blocks HIV Reservoir in 8 Infant Macaques 1 Year After Stopping Treatment
3 articles · Updated · Nature.com · Aug 10
Summary
Eight SHIV-infected infant macaques given broadly neutralizing antibodies, ART and CCR5 blocker leronlimab at 72 hours post-infection showed no viral rebound for 1 year after treatment ended.
Tests found no replicating or latent virus in blood, lymph nodes or other sampled tissues, and no antiviral CD8 responses or HIV-envelope antibodies—evidence the reservoir never became established.
By contrast, bNAbs alone at 72 hours, ART alone, or dual regimens with bNAbs or leronlimab all failed to fully prevent rebound, though leronlimab cut reservoir seeding in lymphoid and gastrointestinal tissues by about 1 log10.
The study used 55 infant rhesus macaques overall and says the three-drug strategy, built from agents already in human trials, could inform curative approaches for newborns exposed to HIV.
Could a three-part early intervention permanently cure newborns of HIV before the virus can hide?
Is the strict 72-hour window for this triple therapy practically achievable in real-world clinical settings?
Eradicating Pediatric HIV: How Triple Therapy in Macaques Could Transform Global Treatment
Overview
A landmark study in August 2026 showed that a triple therapy—combining daily antiretroviral drugs, two broadly neutralizing antibodies, and leronlimab—could completely clear HIV-like virus from infant macaques when started within 72 hours of exposure. Leronlimab blocks the CCR5 co-receptor, while the antibodies neutralize free virus and ART suppresses replication, together preventing the virus from establishing a permanent reservoir. In contrast, untreated animals suffered severe disease, and those given only ART and antibodies saw rapid viral rebound after stopping treatment. This breakthrough highlights the importance of early intervention and offers hope for curative strategies in newborns.