Grant: Operating Grant: Innovative Biomedical and Clinical HIV/AIDS Research

Patients suffering from IBDs present with hyperactivity of certain white blood cells (CD4 T cells) present in their intestine contributing to tissue damage. A new antibody has been developed to control these hyperactive CD4 T cells in the gut using a special gut receptor called a4b7. In monkeys infected by virus similar to HIV, the use of this antibody has led a viral control when medication was stopped. Based on these encouraging findings and knowing that this antibody has limited toxicity in patients having IBDs, Canadian researchers propose to test this antibody in patients infected by HIV and receiving effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). The study will enroll 10 participants in three different groups being infected at different times with different CD4 T cells counts. The intervention will consist of four IV injections of the antibody. After completion of the antibody treatment, the participants will be invited to discontinue ART while undergoing close clinical observation. It is expected that a delay in viral rebound will observed with the antibody use. In the case of viral rebound, the participants will be immediately resumed on ART. At each study visit, safety and tolerability of the antibody treatment will be assessed and blood samples will be collected to measure the quantity of the virus in the blood, changes in CD4 T cells and inflammatory markers. In addition, some volunteers will be invited to undergo gut biopsy to analyze the changes in immune cells directly in the intestine. Our research team is composed of well recognized Canadian clinicians, immunologists and virologists. Globally, this study is part of the Canadian effort to discover a cure for persons living with HIV.