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Post by willywonka666 on Dec 15, 2010 13:52:55 GMT -5
A man is cured, doctors are stunned and patients have new hope.
It could be the cure for HIV.
It worked on one man in Germany and now a San Francisco company is trying to do replicate the results in the United States.
"We have this patient in Berlin who develops leukemia, gets a bone marrow transplant from donor who has a genetic anomaly, he lacks CCR5 genes. It turns out CCR5 is the key doorway for HIV to get into the cell," explains Quest Research's Dr. Jacob Lalezari.
Now, four years later with no other treatment that patient is HIV free.
The goal now is to replicate what happened in Berlin.
Experts at Quest Research are removing CCR5 from patients genes, replicating them and then putting them back.
Dr. Lalezari says without CCR5 the virus can't infect new cells and it eventually goes away.
It's a development HIV patient Matt Sharp is counting on.
"I've exhausted all my possibilities for drug treatment," he says.
Three months into the gene therapy trial Sharp's numbers are improving.
"From the experiment so far my T-cells have doubled, my percentage numbers are up, everything is going in the right direction," he says.
Only time will tell if the new treatment can actually cure patients.
So far Quest Research is treating 10 patients with the gene therapy and experts call their results encouraging.
WOW! IF things work out the way they should
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Dec 15, 2010 13:57:17 GMT -5
...whoa.
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Post by i.Sarita.com on Dec 15, 2010 14:00:05 GMT -5
Talk to me when it's cured thousands.
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 15, 2010 14:01:35 GMT -5
I hope it's not a fluke.
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Post by DamnYankee on Dec 15, 2010 14:02:13 GMT -5
That's very uplifting news.
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Post by "Playboy" Don Douglas on Dec 15, 2010 14:05:59 GMT -5
Hopefully this is the start of something major. Of course, only time will tell.
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mattperiolat
King Koopa
Thank you, Brodie... for everything.
Posts: 11,445
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Post by mattperiolat on Dec 15, 2010 14:17:07 GMT -5
I'm optimistic about this too, but there are two things to keep in mind here:
one, this is stem cell treatment, which is still frowned upon by some for a variety of reasons.
two, they needed to completely destroy this guy's immune system TWICE to apply this treatment. To do it once is high risk and, sad to say, one infection with a compromised immune system is going to be life threatening.
Not trying to be an Eeyore here, just want to keep some perspective here. I'm hopeful, but wary.
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Post by Cela on Dec 15, 2010 14:50:07 GMT -5
So he no longer has aids, but has leukemia? greeeeat.
Otherwise, this is hopeful.
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Post by Rorschach on Dec 15, 2010 14:54:05 GMT -5
The article about this on CNN.com was very, let's just say....cautious about this. There are about a million and a half variables that went into this patient being "cured", and that's not taking into account the fuss that some countries kick up over stem cell research. Note that the country this took place in was Germany...a place where there ISN'T as much resistance to the controversial research. Next, the article goes on to say that current treatments for HIV have prolonged the lifespans of those infected to nearly that of a normal person...meaning this ULTRA risky cure might be more damaging than merely treating the disease.
Again, not meaning to be a Debbie Downer, but simply stating another side to this.
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 15, 2010 15:22:34 GMT -5
So he no longer has aids, but has leukemia? greeeeat. Otherwise, this is hopeful. He had it before the treatment, and that's how they know about the cells, cause the donor didn't have those during the transplant. |
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Post by 8-BitAssassin on Dec 15, 2010 15:30:04 GMT -5
Wow that would be awesome if this leads to a cure/vaccination or even just more knowledge about the disease so that it can eventually be cured. EDIT: Just thinking how much it would suck to be that German guy though. Doctors: We have good news. We're starting treatment for your leukemia Guy:  Doctors: The bad news is you have HIV. Guy:  Later... Doctors: We have good news! You no longer show traces of HIV... Guy: Doctors: The band news is that has nothing to do with the leukemia... Guy: |
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MCMGM
Vegeta
WC's Official Jeff Buckley Stalkeress.
Red Sonic My Ass
Posts: 9,184
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Post by MCMGM on Dec 15, 2010 15:38:28 GMT -5
Talk to me when it's cured thousands. Way to be supportive.  |
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Post by treysarver on Dec 15, 2010 15:44:06 GMT -5
Didn't Magic Johnson beat him to this already?
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mattperiolat
King Koopa
Thank you, Brodie... for everything.
Posts: 11,445
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Post by mattperiolat on Dec 15, 2010 15:54:51 GMT -5
So he no longer has aids, but has leukemia? greeeeat. Otherwise, this is hopeful. No, apparently he no longer has both, if I am reading the story right. |
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mattperiolat
King Koopa
Thank you, Brodie... for everything.
Posts: 11,445
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Post by mattperiolat on Dec 15, 2010 15:56:39 GMT -5
Didn't Magic Johnson beat him to this already? Magic hasn't been cured, it's just that the repressive medications for the HIV virus have become so successful, it's allowing someone with HIV to live a normal lifespan IF you stay on the cocktail. |
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 15, 2010 15:57:32 GMT -5
Didn't Magic Johnson beat him to this already? No I think Magic still has HIV, it just has not progressed to the AIDS yet. |
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Post by Red Impact on Dec 15, 2010 16:04:36 GMT -5
So he no longer has aids, but has leukemia? greeeeat. Otherwise, this is hopeful. The treatment didn't give him leukemia. He had HIV and leukemia and got bone marrow as a treatment. The marrow, which seemed to be mutated to not produce a certain gene, seems to have gotten starved out his HIV. The leukemia is only relevant in that it caused him to get a treatment. |
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Post by Threadkiller [Classic] on Dec 15, 2010 16:15:46 GMT -5
Seems like a way more complicated method of curing than the easier route of injecting a concentrated dose of about $180,000 directly into the bloodstream.
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Post by i.Sarita.com on Dec 15, 2010 16:26:51 GMT -5
Talk to me when it's cured thousands. Way to be supportive. Supportive of who? The guy I don't know? It's great for him and all, but until they figure out a way to cure the thing for everyone...it's just another medical exception. |
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sryans
Don Corleone
BROOKLYN, BROOKLYN
Posts: 2,001
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Post by sryans on Dec 15, 2010 16:27:57 GMT -5
Didn't Magic Johnson beat him to this already? No I think Magic still has HIV, it just has not progressed to the AIDS yet. He has had it for 18 years by the way, that is pretty much incredible in and of itself. And now we can at least say we did it. Even if it was only one time, in one guy somewhere, we beat HIV at least once. |
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