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Poll

Will there be a cure?

Yes, in the near future
73 (37.6%)
Yes but not in the next 5 years
26 (13.4%)
Yes but not in the next 10 years
33 (17%)
Yes but not in the next 20 years
14 (7.2%)
Yes but not in the next 30 years
6 (3.1%)
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16 (8.2%)
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Total Members Voted: 194

Author Topic: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?  (Read 100078 times)

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Offline thunter34

  • Member
  • Posts: 7,374
  • His name is Carl.
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #100 on: March 26, 2007, 12:27:01 am »
The term you are looking for is "Sustained Virological Response" meaning the virus doesn't come back off meds ever. There will always be the guts of inactive HIV in the blood and HIV antibodies. But the body would have no active HIV. That's as good as it would get.

R

Well, that sounds pretty dang good to me.
AIDS isn't for sissies.

mistertonky

  • Guest
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #101 on: March 26, 2007, 04:33:56 am »
http://www.tibotec-hiv.com/medline/details.jhtml?id=17151130&product=none

Tibotec - HIV - Pubmed Search
Novel pathway for induction of latent virus from resting CD4(+) T cells in the simian immunodeficiency virus/macaque model of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 latency.
Publish date:  Feb 2007.
Author(s): Shen A, Yang HC, Zhou Y, Chase AJ, Boyer JD, Zhang H, Margolick JB, Zink MC, Clements JE, Siliciano RF
J Virol;  Pages: 1660-70;  Volume(Issue): 81(4)

Although combination therapy allows the suppression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viremia to undetectable levels, eradication has not been achieved because the virus persists in cellular reservoirs, particularly the latent reservoir in resting CD4(+) T lymphocytes. We previously established a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/macaque model to study latency. We describe here a novel mechanism for the induction of SIV from latently infected resting CD4(+) T cells. Several human cell lines including CEMx174 and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines mediated contact-dependent activation of resting macaque T cells and induction of latent SIV. Antibody-blocking assays showed that interactions between the costimulatory molecule CD2 and its ligand CD58 were involved, whereas soluble factors and interactions between T-cell receptors and major histocompatibility complex class II were not. Combinations of specific antibodies to CD2 also induced T-cell activation and virus induction in human resting CD4(+) T cells carrying latent HIV-1. This is the first demonstration that costimulatory signals can induce latent virus without the coengagement of the T-cell receptor, and this study might provide insights into potential pathways to target latent HIV-1.

Email: as28@calvin.edu

StpC-based gene therapy targeting latent reservoirs of HIV-1.
Publish date:  Dec 2006.
Author(s): Turner LS, Tsygankov AY, Henderson EE
Antiviral Res;  Pages: 233-41;  Volume(Issue): 72(3)

The ability of HIV-1 to form latent reservoirs presents a major obstacle to eradication. One approach to elimination of the latent reservoir is induction therapy, whereby cells harboring latent virus are activated and therefore initiate virus replication. We have constructed a lentiviral vector encoding Herpesvirus saimiri subgroup C saimiri transformation-associated protein (StpC), which has been shown to modulate HIV-1 replication, under the control of a cytomegalovirus promoter in order to determine the ability of StpC to upregulate latent HIV-1. We have included a suicide gene, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK), under the control of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter. We hypothesized that upon StpC expression in latently infected cells induction of virus replication and subsequent production of viral transactivators of the LTR will activate expression of the tk gene, sensitizing the cells to the nucleoside analogue ganciclovir (GCV). Transduction of the latently infected cell line J1.1 resulted in increased virus replication. In the presence of GCV transduced cells exhibited decreased HIV-1 replication, inhibition of cell proliferation, and increased apoptosis. This prototype vector serves as a proof of concept of the utility of gene-based induction agents and suicide genes as a new method for targeting reservoirs of latent HIV-1.

Email: lsturner@temple.edu


A unified concept of HIV latency.
Publish date:  Nov 2006.
Author(s): Bagasra O
Expert Opin Biol Ther;  Pages: 1135-49;  Volume(Issue): 6(11)

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) combining potent drugs that can inhibit reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease activities has changed the natural history of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 disease. Unfortunately, poor penetrability into different anatomic compartments, toxicity and drug resistance are some of the problems related to their prolonged use. The ability of HIV to mutate and become resistant, along with the ongoing viral replication during HAART, can lead to the emergence of independently evolving viral strains in different anatomic compartments (i.e., brain, testes, lymph nodes, etc.). In addition, HAART predominantly effects the viral replication in the activated or differentiating CD(+) T lymphocytes, but appears to have a very limited effect on HIV-1 preintegration complexes in the latently infected cells. Existing drug therapies do not eliminate these viral reservoirs, nor do they prevent their formation. New strategies are needed for eliminating protected areas of HIV-1 in vivo. Therefore, the persistence of latent HIV-1 reservoirs is the principal barrier in the complete eradication of HIV-1 infection in patients by antiretroviral therapy at present. African non-human primates (NHPs) naturally infected with various simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) appear not to develop immunodeficiency or AIDS, whereas Asian NHPs, which are unnatural hosts, infected with SIVs, as well humans infected with HIV-1, will nearly always develop progressive loss of CD(+) T lymphocytes and a gradual destruction of immune functions. Understanding the difference in the host responses between natural and unnatural hosts, and deciphering which host factors are responsible for the non-pathogenic course of natural SIV infections, would be valuable in developing more-effective treatment or prevention strategies for HIV/AIDS. A number of factors encoded by host cells have been identified that appear to play critical roles in the SIV infection process. Two of these factors, TRIM5alpha (a member of a large family of proteins known as the TRIM proteins) and cellular apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like-3G (APOBEC3G) have been recently identified. APOBEC3G genes belong to a family of primate genes that produce enzymes (in this case, APOBEC3G) that 'edit' RNA by replacing cytosine with guanine into viral particles as the virus undergoes reverse transcription in the cytoplasm of the host cell. HIV-1, in turn, counters with a protein called viral infectivity factor (Vif), which binds to the APOBEC3G enzyme that degrades it. Several other blocking factors have been described, including lentiviral blocking factor (Lv)1 and 2. These factors appear to block the infection at a postentry step; after reverse transcription has occurred, but before proviral integration. Thus, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment, maintenance and reactivation of lentiviral latency. This review presents various models of HIV-1 latency and forward a new unified model of lentiviral latency.

Email: obagasra@claflin.edu


HAART-persistent HIV-1 latent reservoirs: their origin, mechanisms of stability and potential strategies for eradication.
Publish date:  Apr 2006.
Author(s): Kulkosky J, Bray S
Curr HIV Res;  Pages: 199-208;  Volume(Issue): 4(2)

HIV-1 infection persists despite long-term administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The mechanism of this persistence appears to result primarily from viral infection of CD4+ T-lymphocytes that have the ability to duplicate and revert into a quiescent state. These infected resting cells are long-lived and evade immune surveillance or clearance. The inability to eradicate this class of cells, bearing the viral DNA, suggests life-long persistence of virus in HIV-1-infected individuals, even if HAART were administered for decades. This review discusses the origins and mechanisms accounting for stability of these latent HIV-1 cellular reservoirs. It further provides an overview of recent clinical trials aimed at their eradication. There have been a limited number of immune activation (IAT) trials directed at HAART-persistent, viral reservoir eradication. These trials have not resulted in purging of these highly stable viral reservoirs though results from such efforts suggest partial effects. The properties of novel compounds that might be included into IAT eradication protocols are continuing to be evaluated and their potential for inclusion into future IAT trials will be discussed.

Email: kulkoskyj@chc.edu

NF-kappaB p50 promotes HIV latency through HDAC recruitment and repression of transcriptional initiation.
Publish date: 11 Jan 2006.
Author(s): Williams SA, Chen LF, Kwon H, Ruiz-Jarabo CM, Verdin E, Greene WC
EMBO J;  Pages: 139-49;  Volume(Issue): 25(1)

Cells latently infected with HIV represent a currently insurmountable barrier to viral eradication in infected patients. Using the J-Lat human T-cell model of HIV latency, we have investigated the role of host factor binding to the kappaB enhancer elements of the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) in the maintenance of viral latency. We show that NF-kappaB p50-HDAC1 complexes constitutively bind the latent HIV LTR and induce histone deacetylation and repressive changes in chromatin structure of the HIV LTR, changes that impair recruitment of RNA polymerase II and transcriptional initiation. Knockdown of p50 expression with specific small hairpin RNAs reduces HDAC1 binding to the latent HIV LTR and induces RNA polymerase II recruitment. Similarly, inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity with trichostatin A promotes binding of RNA polymerase II to the latent HIV LTR. This bound polymerase complex, however, remains non-processive, generating only short viral transcripts. Synthesis of full-length viral transcripts can be rescued under these conditions by expression of Tat. The combination of HDAC inhibitors and Tat merits consideration as a new strategy for purging latent HIV proviruses from their cellular reservoirs.



mistertonky

  • Guest
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #102 on: March 26, 2007, 04:43:23 am »
clearance of infected virus cells

Why G3139 works poorly in cancer trials but might work well against HIV.
Publish date: 13 Mar 2007.
Author(s): Parris GE
Med Hypotheses;  Pages: ; 

The antisense drug G3139 (oblimersen sodium, Genta, Inc.) is a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) containing unmethylated CpG units, which is targeted to suppress Bcl-2. To date, its effectiveness in cancer clinical trials has been minimal. Some suggestions are provided for that disappointment and recent citations are provided that support the idea that G3139 may be effective at clearing viral infections, specifically HIV. At the time G3139 was conceived as an anti-cancer drug candidate, it was viewed optimistically because Bcl-2 was widely believed to be the most important protein blocking p53-dependent apoptosis caused by internal stress. Since that time, we have learnt that Bcl-2 is not the only protein that inhibits apoptosis and that p53 itself is frequently malfunctioning in tumors. Thus, the anti-cancer utility of suppressing Bcl-2 in cancer cells is limited. Moreover, Bcl-2 has a role in halting the cell cycle (though p27), which may slow down tumor growth; and Bcl-2 even has pro-apoptotic roles in the execution of apoptosis initiated by external death signals (via Fas/CD95 and caspase 3). Overall, in the clinical setting, G3139 usually has statistically significant but medically unimportant benefit. These results have greatly diminished the enthusiasm for the drug especially when the side effects are considered. Specifically, the unmethylated CpG ODN (and/or the phosphorothioate group) activates the immune system, but this potentially important anti-cancer effect is lost when the immune cells undergo premature apoptosis apparently because their Bcl-2 levels have been lowered by the antisense effect of G3139. While this effect on immune cells is usually undesirable, it is exactly what would be useful for activating immune cells, initiating provirus transcription in retrovirus-infected cells, and facilitating selective apoptosis of these infected cells. In general, G3139 might have benefit in clearing chronic infections by intracellular parasites including viruses (HIV, SIV, HTLV, HBV, coronavirus, etc.). Indeed, G3139 has been shown to cause apoptosis in EBV-infected cells leading to clearance of the virus.

mistertonky

  • Guest
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #103 on: March 26, 2007, 05:16:21 am »
Many scientists and docs are working on latent hiv reservoirs.

ONLY 1 CD4 CELL IN 10.000.000 CD4 CELLS IS WITH LATENT HIV INTEGRATED OR UNINTEGRATED.

and the ongoing viremia at very very very low levell replace the reservoirs and reset the decay of the latency.

integrase and entry inhibitors can reduce the viremia at zero without no ongoing viremia in the body.



Herpesvirus saimiri terminal membrane proteins modulate HIV-1 replication by altering Nef and Tat functions.
Publish date:  Jan 2007.
Author(s): Raymond AD, Hasham M, Tsygankov AY, Henderson EE
Curr HIV Res;  Pages: 79-86;  Volume(Issue): 5(1)

Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS)-transformed human T cells expressing terminal membrane proteins (TMPs) tyrosine kinase interacting protein (Tip) and saimiri transformation associated protein strain C (StpC) are highly permissive for R5 and X4 strains of HIV-1. StpC expression enhances replication of R5 and X4 strains of HIV-1 and induces latent reservoirs of replication competent HIV-1 in cell lines derived from T cells or monocytes. Paradoxically Tip expression restricts replication and cytopathic effects of R5 and X4 strains of HIV-1 in T cells and monocytes post-retrotransposition. Understanding the canonical pathways whereby Tip and StpC alter HIV-1 replication may uncover novel therapeutic approaches to HIV-1 infection. Here we show Tip inhibits Tat-mediated transcriptional activation of the long terminal repeat (LTR). Tip mediated inhibition of Tat transactivation is reversed by Nef. Tip also mediates restriction of late-stage replication of HIV-1 by disrupting Nef interaction with lymphocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (Lck) in lipid rafts. Specifically, in the presence of Tip, Lck does not localize to lipid rafts reducing Nef interaction with Lck within the lipid rafts. Finally, the permissive phenotype conferred by StpC is the result of synergy with Tat during transcriptional activation of the HIV-1 LTR. This transcriptional synergy between StpC and Tat requires Lck and NF-kappaB consensus binding sequences. These findings demonstrate that the HVS TMPs influence transcriptional and post-transcriptional stages in HIV-1 replication. We propose that HVS-encoded TMPs associated with T cell transformation have evolved ability to modulate the replication of competing retroviruses. Gene based approaches utilizing Tip and StpC may provide therapeutic models for treating acute and latent HIV-1 infections, respectively.


Offline pagnoco

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #104 on: April 03, 2007, 09:40:32 am »
Inovio Biomedical’s DNA Delivery Technology Significantly Enhances Potency of HIV DNA Vaccine
Companies mentioned in this article:
Vical 
 
3/26/2007 @ 8:55 AM   print this article - email to a friend - join our eNewsletter 
 
Inovio Biomedical Corp. (AMEX:INO), which is focused on the development of DNA vaccines and a novel solid tumor ablation therapy, announced today that the Journal of Virology has published a scientific paper prepared by Inovio’s development partner, Wyeth, regarding results from a non-human primate study of an investigational DNA vaccine against HIV delivered using Inovio Biomedical’s electroporation technology. The paper, titled “Effect of plasmid DNA vaccine design and in vivo electroporation on the resulting vaccine-specific immune responses in rhesus macaques,” summarized results of a research project lead by Michael A. Egan, Ph.D., a principle research scientist at Wyeth Vaccine Research. The scientific paper concluded: “These results indicate that in vivo electroporation appears safe and can dramatically improve the delivery and immunogenicity of a multi-vector, multi-antigen pDNA vaccine in non-human primates. Collectively, these data have important implications for the design and development of an efficacious therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.”
   
   Key observations of the study included:
   
   * Vaccination in combination with in vivo electroporation led to a more rapid onset and enhanced vaccine-specific immune responses.
   
   * This increase in CMI [cell-mediated immune] responses translates to an apparent 50-200-fold [8 weeks and 22 weeks, respectively] increase in pDNA [plasmid DNA] vaccine potency.
   
   * Importantly, in vivo electroporation enhanced the immune responseagainst the less immunogenic antigens, resulting in a more balanced immune response.
   
   * In addition, in vivo electroporation resulted in an approximate 2.5 log10 increase in antibody responses.
   
   “Wyeth’s non-human primate data demonstrated a significant increase in both the breadth and magnitude of the cellular immune responseto selected HIV antigens. This is the type of response that virologists have been seeking for many years,” stated Avtar Dhillon, MD, president and CEO of Inovio. “While these data will need to be reproduced in human clinical trials, the significant enhancement in potency observed to date reaffirms our position that electroporation is a key enabling technology for DNA vaccines.”
   
   Inovio’s collaboration and non-exclusive license agreement with Wyeth was announced in November 2006.
   
   About Inovio’s DNA Delivery Technology
   
   DNA vaccines have the potential to by-pass scientific obstacles inherent in the development of conventional vaccines. For example, DNA vaccines may be better in stimulating cellular immunity necessary to fight chronic infection or diseases such as cancer. Despite this promise, vaccination using DNA plasmid alone without enhanced delivery has not been shown to reach the threshold for clinical benefit.
   
   Intramuscular delivery of DNA vaccines using Inovio’s proprietary electroporation technology has been shown in primate studies to boost the immune responseby orders of magnitude over DNA plasmid alone. Plasmid-based vaccines induced higher levels of antibodies and T-cell responses when delivered via electroporation, suggesting the potential to provide better protection from infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C.
   
   About Inovio Biomedical Corporation
   
   Inovio Biomedical Corporation is focused on commercializing its Selective Electrochemical Tumor Ablation (SECTA) therapy and development of multiple DNA vaccines using its delivery platform for gene-based treatments. SECTA is a local ablation therapy for solid tumors that is designed to selectively kill cancerous cells and minimize cosmetic or functional impacts to predominantly healthy tissue typically treated around the tumor. Inovio is moving its lead product, the MedPulser®, through pre-marketing studies for head and neck cancer and skin cancers in Europe, where it has CE Mark accreditation, a U.S. phase III pivotal study for head and neck cancer, and a phase I/II trial for breast cancer. Inovio’s DNA delivery partners include Merck, Wyeth, Vical, University of Southampton, Moffitt Cancer Center, and the U.S. Army, with four gene-based therapies and DNA vaccines in phase I clinical studies. Inovio is a leader in developing human therapeutic applications of electroporation, which uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to dramatically increase cellular uptake of a useful biopharmaceutical, with the industry's most extensive patent portfolio covering in vivo electroporation. More information is available at www.inovio.com


Offline bimazek

  • Member
  • Posts: 781
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #105 on: April 05, 2007, 07:21:43 pm »

The point of the herpes discussion is exactly that, the body can and does suppress all kind of viruses naturally, and it DOES NOT TAKE MILLIONS of years to evolve the ability.  There are thousands of LTNP, long term non progressors, also Elite controllers, these LTNP have been poz for 20 30 years or more and the body-- their human body NATURALLY suppresses the virus... they have close to or undetectable and no meds ever, no matter that virus is retro or not, their bodies their human body today NATURALLY suppresses the virus...

why

science just found out april 2, 2007 in china... see my post here.. chinese found that it is CD8 cells and pd-1

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10786.0

 i posted all the science of the CD8 cells and pd-1 here
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7475.0

now the trick is finding a vaccine or med or gene therapy that stimulates or immune modulates the CD8s like LTNP --

these studies are being done on mice and rats every day now as we speak

the problem is
that

the researches need much much more money

the powerful want war, cause they make money off of war, look how well texas economy halliburton does with war, the st8t men love war they are not creative, they are distructive, they do not understand creativity

anything feminine or creative is distained or put down in our society, look the women now in usa act like men, i never in my life thought i would see 90 women kick boxing and punching for an hour at the gym... we are in a hyper macho violent viscious culture go to any culture where men are sensitive, kind gentle

st8t men want war and violence because of fear and anger

we need war on hiv, probably 10x more money on research to get this out fast

we need activism and talking to congressman and senate about more money for research

do not worry about the retro thing.. that is just a blip that made it hard to create meds that do not get mutated around, i know if you are one that has a mutated version then that is not easy to hear but

retro or not, the body today completely represses the virus in many individuals, i have personally met 7 of these guys...

the solution is in

vaccines, gene therapy, CD8 stimulation,

i personally feel the "cure" is already found in one of these recent in last 24 month discoveries but it will take time to fully create the treatment that works...

for example read any of these posts, one or two of these or 3 together

or something that will be discovered out of one of these or something found in last few years (these mostly focus on discoveries in last 18 months)

will be effective

what we need to do now is get as much money to researchers as possible... asap

especially now that the chinese just proved that LTNP have this special CD8 cell  http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10786.0

 immune modulation strategies in cancer...  applied to hiv
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10782.0
 
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10789.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7475.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7907.0
 
fas
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7935.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8412.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8478.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8475.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8415.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7708.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7707.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7701.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7476.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8478.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8412.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8773.0
 
 
 
i read thru all 1000 articles from the CROI and found these interesting
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10790.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10542.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10792.0
 
 
 
 
Sjogren’s syndrome or DILS Anyone had these Diseases? Please post
I found a pd-1 connection to this LTNP connection
 
 
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7708.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8215.0
 
 
gene therapy by gensys
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7476.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8475.0
 
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10626.0
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8417.0
 
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=9202.msg112004#msg112004
 
 
 
 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8708.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8840.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8568.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=10143.msg125074#msg125074
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=1283.msg93474#msg93474



Offline macholicious

  • Member
  • Posts: 11
  • Teacher by day Hooker at night.
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #106 on: April 11, 2007, 11:40:02 am »
10 years perhaps?

mistertonky

  • Guest
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #107 on: April 12, 2007, 03:44:04 am »


http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=98399&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=552255&highlight=


Cell Genesys Reports Encouraging Interim Phase II Data For AIDS Gene Therapy
Novel Immune-Based Therapy Targets HIV Reservoirs

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEGE) today announced that the trend in initial Phase II data for the company's AIDS gene therapy shows decreased levels of HIV in gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue in four out of five patients tested for virus harbored by this tissue and in whom antiviral drugs failed to eradicate HIV in the blood. Data also show that the genetically modified immune cells employed in this therapy survive for at least 100 days following infusion, consistent with HIV-specific T cell proliferation, and can traffic to lymphoid tissue in the gastrointestinal tract. Cell Genesys' AIDS gene therapy involves genetically engineered T cells that can target and eliminate residual virus in HIV- infected cells that remain as reservoirs for future infection even after treatment with the best available antiviral drugs.

The company and its collaborators at the University of Los Angeles AIDS Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reported these findings at the Second International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance and Treatment Strategies in Italy and the Twelfth World AIDS Conference in Switzerland. The company expects to report further results related to its AIDS gene therapy trials during the next six months.

"Cell Genesys' AIDS gene therapy could address the remaining obstacle in the treatment of HIV infection by targeting and destroying the cells still harboring the virus," said Dale G. Ando, M.D., vice president, clinical research of Cell Genesys. "Now that replication of the virus in the blood can be controlled by antiviral drugs in most patients, an immune-based therapy to eliminate remaining reservoirs of HIV-infected cells which exist in all patients represents a potential strategy for HIV eradication."

Findings Reported For Initial Trials Testing Patients With Detectable HIV

Cell Genesys' initial clinical trials have been conducted in over 60 patients who have failed antiviral drug therapy and still have detectable levels of virus in their blood. In addition to the trend in early findings showing a decrease in virus in tissue, the company also has reported persistence of clinically relevant levels of the genetically modified T cells in the blood for at least 100 days consistent with HIV-specific T cell proliferation, an increase in CD4 T cell counts in the majority of patients, trafficking of the modified T cells to the lymphoid tissues and evidence suggestive of antiviral activity in blood in some patients.

Based on these encouraging preliminary results, Cell Genesys is now conducting a second Phase II trial testing its AIDS gene therapy in patients in whom the virus is not detectable in the blood, following treatment with antiviral drugs. These patients comprise the majority of AIDS patients and are believed to be good candidates for such an immune-based gene therapy since viral replication is controlled.

Second Phase II Trial Tests Patients In Whom HIV

Is Not Detectable in Blood

The new Phase II trial now under way is testing the company's gene therapy in approximately 40 patients in whom HIV can not be detected in blood following antiviral drug treatment. Patients will receive three infusions of the company's AIDS gene therapy and will be followed for at least six months. The endpoints for this trial include reduction of HIV-infected cells in blood and lymphoid tissues. To date, approximately 30 patients have been enrolled in this trial.

New Endpoint Targets Reduction of HIV In Tissue For Second Phase II Trial

In addition to measuring changes to viral load in the blood in this second Phase II trial, tissue viral burden will be monitored through biopsies of lymphoid tissue from the gastrointestinal tract, which is a hiding place for HIV-infected cells. This new procedure for detecting virus in tissue has been developed by the company's collaborator, Dr. Peter Anton, at the University of California, Los Angeles AIDS Institute. The procedure could be particularly useful in measuring the impact of Cell Genesys' AIDS gene therapy in patients whose plasma virus is already controlled below detectable levels by combination drug treatment. The gastrointestinal tract contains the largest, most readily accessible and renewable source of the body's immune system cells. Rectal biopsies are an easy, fast and safe technique to measure viral burden in lymphoid tissue. Additional tests will include proviral DNA measurements in blood by PCR, an ultra sensitive HIV viral culture assay and CD4 cell counts.

Gene Therapy Technology Arms Immune Cells With Novel Targeting Mechanism

The company's T cell gene therapy involves a proprietary method of genetically engineering CD4 (helper) and CD8 (killer) T cells to express novel receptors enabling the cells to target and destroy malignant or virally infected cells. The company's AIDS gene therapy employs T cells that have been modified with a proprietary gene to seek out gp120, a cell surface protein expressed by HIV-infected cells. The engineered T cells can thereby eliminate HIV-infected cells while bypassing the normal immune system recognition process required to activate these immune cells against disease cells. During the natural course of HIV infection, normal CD4 T cells are destroyed which disables a patient's ability to mount an effective immune response to the virus. Cell Genesys' AIDS gene therapy could be viewed as "replacement therapy" utilizing these engineered T cells to enhance immune function.

Gene Therapy Targets and Eliminates Infected Cells As

Efficiently As Healthy T Cells

In other published research findings, the company has reported that its "programmed" T cells target and kill infected cells as efficiently and early as naturally occurring HIV-specific T cells, which are lost during the early stages of HIV infection. In addition, the modified cells kill both T cells and macrophages which are the primary reservoirs of HIV infection in the body. Recent studies have shown that all patients still harbor quiescent reservoirs of HIV-infected cells even after years of combination antiviral drug treatment. The company's published work also reported that these modified T cells are able to target and kill diverse mutated strains of HIV. Naturally occurring HIV-specific T cells are often not able to recognize HIV-infected cells due to rapid mutation of the virus and therefore the patient's normal immune system is disabled.

Cell Genesys Profile

Cell Genesys is focused on the development and commercialization of ex vivo and in vivo gene therapies to treat major, life-threatening diseases and disorders. The company's AIDS gene therapy is in Phase II human clinical testing supported by funding from its collaborator, Hoechst Marion Roussel. In addition, the company is also conducting Phase I/II human clinical trials for its T cell gene therapy in colon cancer and for its GVAX(TM) cancer vaccine in lung, melanoma and prostate cancer. The company also is conducting preclinical studies in other cancer indications, hemophilia, cardiovascular disease and neurologic disorders. Cell Genesys' assets outside gene therapy include its Abgenix subsidiary for antibody products and the company's licensing program in gene activation technology.

Statements made herein, other than statements of historical fact, including statements about the company's and its subsidiary's progress of clinical trials, the success of the company's clinical trials and therapies, the expected timing of future trial results, the expected success of the company's therapies with specific patient candidate groups, the expected efficacy and safety of the company's therapies and the ability of the company's therapies to achieve certain clinical objectives are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including risks associated with the success of research and development programs, the results achieved in ongoing clinical trials, the regulatory approval process, competitive technologies and products, patents, corporate partnerships and additional financings. For information about these and other risks which may affect Cell Genesys, please see the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 1998 as well as Cell Genesys' reports on Form 10-Q and 8-K and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Cell Genesys, Inc.
Web site: http: //www.cellgenesys.com
Company News On-Call: http: //www.prnewswire.com or fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 134113
CONTACT: Kathleen Sereda Glaub, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Cell Genesys, Inc., 650-425-4542, or E-mail: ir@cellgenesys.com
 
 
 
 
 

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #108 on: April 12, 2007, 12:26:07 pm »
Way to kill a thread fellas - cut and paste. Nobody reads it, and it's lazy. It's like an information avalanche. I bet YOU haven't even read this stuff - otherwise you'd have an opinion to offer.
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #109 on: April 12, 2007, 01:28:10 pm »
DAT'S SUM DELICIOUS COPYPASTA
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline aupointillimite

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #110 on: April 12, 2007, 01:35:36 pm »
Word.

tl;dr
Your tastebuds can't repel flavor of this magnitude!

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #111 on: April 12, 2007, 02:06:49 pm »
It's odd that it's a lot of newly registered people doing the same thing, isn't it?  It's like some sort of bot.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline aupointillimite

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #112 on: April 12, 2007, 02:07:50 pm »
It's odd that it's a lot of newly registered people doing the same thing, isn't it?  It's like some sort of bot.

Some sort of Pollyanna bot.
Your tastebuds can't repel flavor of this magnitude!

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #113 on: April 12, 2007, 02:08:55 pm »
Whatever it is it's almost like a retrovirus!
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #114 on: April 12, 2007, 02:16:27 pm »
It's almost like they're scared that the posters in this thread might express an opinion they find too scarey, so they pre-emptively deluge it with fantastic news feeds cut and pasted that support their point of view. Maybe. I don't read them.

I've written to Andy to ask whether this forum can have a stickie at the top with posting guidelines that would prevent this. We can then report the couple of people who don't seem to be taking the hint.

M.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2007, 02:18:25 pm by Matt Mee »
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #115 on: April 12, 2007, 02:23:31 pm »
Matt, there was an entire thread (or two) where it was requested repeatedly that people simply extract what they find relevant, and provide a link.

I'd further it by stating they should lead off with some sort of discussion blurb but I'm sure that would be asking too much.  At some point it all just blurs anyway and is simply incredibly counter productive, which you'd think the "usual suspects" would pick up on when nobody is discussing anything in these numerous copypasta threads.

You know, it's like when a guy repeatedly hits on you in a bar that you've not given the time of day to since you've been in there, and then you drop repeated hints for him to scuttle off and he still keeps it all up.  At some point you either have to become mean or just leave the bar running.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #116 on: April 12, 2007, 02:26:44 pm »
Yes, I remember - I contributed to some of those threads, making exactly that request, like a few other people.

I suppose a discussion blurb might involve some actual thought on their part, to y'know, formulate an opinon. I've started skipping these peoples' posts, but it bugs me how it can just kill a thread sometimes. The threads that start with a c 'n' p sink like a stone, you're right.

I think it's more like a guy hitting you WITH a bar!
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #117 on: April 12, 2007, 02:29:19 pm »
I agree though, this forum section needs a stickie "Welcome" thread where they lay out some sort of rule so that this sort of copypasta tyranny stops.  I would participate more if it did... as it is now I click on things and when I see endless text I hit "back"
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #118 on: April 12, 2007, 04:18:56 pm »
Totally. Anyway, Andy's just PM'd me and said that we will get our sticky in this forum. So now we can report people who c 'n' p.
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline bimazek

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #119 on: April 15, 2007, 03:58:15 pm »

I prefer fact and information post no matter how long, to endless chat posts that do nothing but stroke and express the ego of the poster, especially in research news and studies, no one needs to hear about how someone felt about brushing thier teeth this morning.

If a post it too long for a person, just skim it

skimming is a reading technique taught in schools in elementary school, if a part interests you then read it

Research News and Studies should not be a chat forum

it is science related, and science is complicated and takes more words than chit chat

there is so much miss information in the hiv education esp., the gay hiv education area ... we are spending millions to teach fear and aparthied of poz people to everyone

any facts and truth will help

why is there not more activism now

i have seen terrible face shape changes and body shape changes in my friends who just started haart 12 months ago

someday looking back this will all be taught in med schools as yes a giant success of medicine (saving prolonging lives) but also one of the biggest failures of medicine and embarrassments

imagine if all the men who go treated for legionaaires disease had body shape changes... or people who took diabettees drugs

 Research News and Studies needs long posts to get the point across

perhaps new people have energy and hope and want to search for latest new thing

cure

even

THERE WOULD BE A CURE TODAY IF BUSH HAD NOT STOLLEN TWO ELECTIONS AND SPENT ALL THE MONEY ON IRAQ I GUARENTEE

THE WAR WASTED MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR STEM CELL... CURING MANY DISEASES

the recent break thru by the chinese proves how far behind we are getting

they showed that all LTNP --- well its because they have hiv specific CD8 killer cells that do not get switched off

this is a huge breakthru




Offline hahaha

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #120 on: April 15, 2007, 10:24:37 pm »
If a post it too long for a person, just skim it

skimming is a reading technique taught in schools in elementary school, if a part interests you then read it

Research News and Studies should not be a chat forum

it is science related, and science is complicated and takes more words than chit chat

there is so much miss information in the hiv education esp., the gay hiv education area ... we are spending millions to teach fear and aparthied of poz people to everyone

any facts and truth will help

THERE WOULD BE A CURE TODAY IF BUSH HAD NOT STOLLEN TWO ELECTIONS AND SPENT ALL THE MONEY ON IRAQ I GUARENTEE
THE WAR WASTED MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR STEM CELL... CURING MANY DISEASES


I totally agree with bimazek.  Learning is not an easy thing, a full explanation is needed.   If you jump to the conclusion too quickly, you may be mislead or fail to see the non-logical part of such report. 

As a "new research" forum, there shall have more discussion between the lines.....
Aug 9, 2006 Get infected in Japan #$%^*
Oct 2006 CD4 239
Nov 2006 CD4 299 VL 60,000
Dec 1, Sustiva, Ziagan and 3TC
Jan 07, CD4 400

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #121 on: April 16, 2007, 07:40:57 am »
That's not what people are saying.

Nobody wants to turn this into a "chat forum", but people who participate here want to make sure that there is a clear discussion, that is reasonably easy to follow. Science doesn't have to be complicated. I say that as somebody trained in biomedical science.

What seems to be happening is huge posts are being copied and pasted from the internet and then transplanted here with no apparent reasoning. Very often they have nothing to do with the thread being discussed, as you can see from the big posts on this thread about vaccines, when we're talking about cure. The people posting these huge entries don't say why they think they're important, or where they think the research will go. Everybody knows that massive amounts of research are going on into HIV - you need to say WHY the piece of work you've posted is important for you.

I also think that practically these huge posts don't work. They loose their formatting and become very difficult to read. Other people become discouraged and don't take part in the thread. This thread tends to die out for a while after these big posts, before somebody picks up on something said earlier, ignoring these mega-posts entirely. Threads that start with a mega-post often go nowhere, and sink without a trace.

Nobody is saying that you are not allowed to discuss certain things. But links have their place, and so does actual discussion - that means something you have written, not somebody else. If you want to be listened to, and inform other people here, then this is basic courtesy.

M.
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

mistertonky

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #122 on: April 19, 2007, 01:48:47 am »
http://www.tranadiscovery.com/

http://www.southernresearch.org/


CARY, N.C. – Trana Discovery Inc. and Southern Research Institute have announced a collaborative research agreement that could lead to the discovery of new classes of drugs for the treatment of patients infected with HIV. Under the agreement, Trana will screen Southern Research's library of approximately 1000 nucleosides against its unique, patented probes to identify anti-infectives with a novel mechanism of action. The Trana probes are employed in a high-throughput screening process to identify compounds that possess tRNA inhibitory activity. By inhibiting the role of tRNA and crippling protein assembly, protein synthesis cannot proceed, thus stopping pathogen growth and the spread of infection. Most pathogens responsible for causing infectious diseases—including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS—require tRNA for replication. “Most anti-infectives deal with ribosome or cell wall synthesis inhibition,” notes Steve Peterson, CEO of Trana Discovery. “No one has looked at tRNA as an entire molecule.” In HIV studies, Trana is looking a specific step where it is known that intervention is possible as HIV enters the cell and is integrated into a new viron that then reenters the cytoplasm to continue infecting other cells. The Trana assay identifies inhibitors of the tRNA recruited by HIV during this phase of replication. “Step 8 is where the virus must go into a cell, typically a T-cell, to recruit a tRNA lysine,” Trana’s Peterson says. “Other researchers have demonstrated that where tRNA lysine has been physically removed, HIV won’t reproduce. HIV takes human tRNA and unfolds it into a non-human shape, but the anticodon stem loop (Step 8) is still there. We are looking for compounds that bind to it and, in effect, remove the key from the lock so it cannot be opened to reproduce.” Trana's technology can also be used to interrupt the life cycle of bacteria and fungal pathogens. The company’s business model is to license its technology and intellectual property for specific viruses, bacteria and fungi so that licensees’ libraries can be used to develop multiple drugs. Southern Research is a leader in the field of nucleoside chemistry and biology. To date, the institute has discovered six FDA-approved cancer drugs and has four additional drugs that are currently in clinical trials. SRI claims that no other company or institution has brought six of its own cancer drug discoveries to market. “There are unique components to the formula here that are necessary for drug discovery,” says David Harris, director of drug discovery business development at Southern Research. “We have a full tool box – from early to late, enough scale to make it through to IND, a clear focus on the goal of drug discovery and the freedom to pursue our goals that is very similar to that found in academia.” The institute initiated a program two years ago to expand its biological and chemical diversity through external collaborations. “We have been looking to screen our proprietary repository against new targets to identify compounds that deserve further investigation,” Harris adds. “We're particularly excited about the possibility of discovering a new class of anti-HIV medicine through the use of the tRNA mechanism of action.”   “We have been seeking compounds to demonstrate commercialization opportunities for our tRNA intellectual property and for further chemical optimization,” adds Peterson. “This agreement is a great step toward the advancement of our technology.” In the future, the partners plan to explore a variety of joint projects to discover new compounds for the treatment of other serious bacterial and viral infectious diseases.

mistertonky

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #123 on: April 19, 2007, 02:55:58 am »

Identifying the membrane proteome of HIV-1 latently infected cells

Berro R, de la Fuente C, Klase Z, Kehn K, Parvin L, Pumfery A, Agbottah E, Vertes A, Nekhai S, Kashanchi F.; Genetics Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The George Washington University, School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA.

Profiling integral plasma membrane proteins is of particular importance for the identification of new biomarkers for diagnosis and for drug development. We report in this study the identification of surface markers by performing comparative proteomics of established human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) latent cell models and parental cell lines. To this end we isolated integral membrane proteins using a biotin-directed affinity purification method. Isolated proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) after in gel digestion. Seventeen different proteins were found to vary on the surface of T-cells due to HIV-1 infection. Of these proteins, 47% were integral membrane proteins, and 18% were membrane-associated. Through the use of complementary techniques such as Western blotting and fluorescent staining, we confirmed the differential expression of some of the proteins identified by MALDI-TOF including Bruton's tyrosine kinase and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis. Finally, using phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors and flavopiridol to inhibit Bruton's tyrosine kinase localization at the membrane and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein expression, respectively, we showed that HIV-1 latently infected cells are more sensitive to these drugs than uninfected cells. This suggests that HIV-1 latently infected cells may be targeted with drugs that alter several pathways that are essential for the establishment and maintenance of latency.

[J Biol Chem.]
2007 Mar 16;282(11):8207-18

http://www.cprmap.com/infectious-diseases/hiv-proteomics-16898.html


Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #124 on: April 19, 2007, 07:53:57 am »
Okay - so that's actually quite interesting. Basically saying that cells express different surface proteins as a result of HIV infection, and that these can be interfered with to interrupt latency.

Neat. So how come you didn't put that up first MisterT?!
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline putin22

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #125 on: April 21, 2007, 05:16:34 am »
FROM SPAIN

http://www.invenia.es/bbs:SEIRC-TO31

AIDS gene therapy: A vector able to selectively destroy latently HIV-1 infected cells
Interesarse por esta oferta | Navegador de ofertas

Centro de Innovación y Transferencia de Tecnología de Andalucía S.A.U.
Sevilla, España
An Andalusian research group has developed a new technology that destroys latent HIV-1 infected cells. No harm is detected in uninfected cells. Conventional HIV-1 therapy is compromised by viral reservoirs of latently infected cells. The main advantage of this new technology is that it is specifically designed against the viral reservoirs and therefore it is a promising new approach in the therapy against HIV-1 infection. They are looking for agreements.

Publicidad
Contenidos
An Andalusian research group has developed a lentiviral HIV-1 derived vector to destroy latent HIV-1 infected cells. These cells represent a major problem in HIV-1 therapy because these viruses are not sensitive to the anti-retrovirals. Patients have to receive the anti-retroviral therapy to live, which represents for them a low quality of life and to suffer severe adverse secondary effects from therapy, which may cause serious health problems. The vector allows the selective destruction of these cells and therefore it is a promising new approach for the HIV-1 infection therapy. The vector was made according to these main characteristics:

1.- The vector was made including all the cis-acting sequences needed for packaging in infectious particles. This will allow its use in in vivo gene therapy.

2.- The vector contains a genetic system that allows the detection of silent HIV-1 proviruses with just the addition of an externally added inducer. Without the addition of the inducer the vector is silent.

3.- The vector contains a lethal gene that is expressed only in the presence of both, an externally added inducer and a HIV-1 provirus present in the cell. In this case the cell dies.

4.- No toxicity was observed in cells that do not contain a HIV-1 provirus.

5.- The vector has been successfully tested in vitro, and its flexible design allows, if necessary, easy changes to improve its performance in vivo.

Finally, the research group has experience in molecular and cellular biology and has worked in the HIV-1 natural history and its modification by the therapy in the last ten years.


Innovative Aspects:

Current HIV-1 therapies are able to abolish the viral growth in most cases and they can reduce the blood viral burden to undetectable levels for a very long time. However, latently infected cells that are not affected by these anti-retroviral therapies remain in the patient. Due to the presence of these latently infected cells, a gap of just two or three weeks in the anti-retroviral therapy is enough to reach very high levels of blood viral burden. Therefore, at present HIV-1 infection is not cured totally, being the latently infected cells the main reason for this therapy fails.

This innovation allows the selective destruction of the latently infected cells, which is not achieved by the current therapies. Thus, it might be a good complementary therapy to the current anti-retrovirals. For this reason this innovation it is a promising new approach for the HIV-1 infection therapy.


Main Advantages:

The main advantages of this innovations are:

1.- It is a possible new HIV-1 anti-retroviral therapy that destroys latently infected cells, which are not resolved by current therapies.

2.- It is complementary to the current anti-retroviral therapies.

3.- No toxicity was detected in not infected cells, tested by in vitro experiments. No adverse effects are expected to be found in patients.

4.- Especial equipment will not be required for its clinical use since it is designed for in vivo gene therapy.

Datos contacto
Avda. Isaac Newton, s/n
E-41092
Tel.: +34 955039832
Tel.: +34 955 06 42 32
Fax.: +34 955039835
mariajose.romero.ext@juntadeandalucia.es






Offline Central79

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  • Posts: 527
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #126 on: April 21, 2007, 10:32:46 am »
Yeah - this is a neat idea, if it works. The lentivirus incorporates the lethal gene into the genes of the CD4 cells, making it die, if HIV proviral genes are present.

The proviral genes are unmasked by the addition of an "inducer". I'm not entirely sure what they're using, or how it works from this post - and it's kind of key to the whole thing.

M.
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline pagnoco

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #127 on: April 28, 2007, 11:40:58 am »
CROI 2007 targeting hiv reservoirs

http://www.retroconference.org/2007/Sessions/090.htm

http://www.retroconference.org/2007/PDFs/500.pdf

VPA DRUGS IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGHG AND THEY ARE TESTING  STRONGER DRUGS

SMALL MOLECULE INHIBITORS OF HISTONE DEACETYLASES AS A MEANS TO INDUCE HIV EXPRESSION FROM LATENLY INFECTED CD4 T CELLS, THIS HDAC DRUGS IS AT LEAST 2 OR 3 TIMES  MORE POTENT THAN VALPROIC ACID OF DOC SICIALIANO TRIAL LAST YEAR.


MORE.. MORE.. MORE

TARGETING LATENT HIV CELLS


http://www.cprmap.com/infectious-diseases/hiv-proteomics-16898.html


#2
Identifying the membrane proteome of HIV-1 latently infected cells
Berro R, de la Fuente C, Klase Z, Kehn K, Parvin L, Pumfery A, Agbottah E, Vertes A, Nekhai S, Kashanchi F.; Genetics Program, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The George Washington University, School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA.

Profiling integral plasma membrane proteins is of particular importance for the identification of new biomarkers for diagnosis and for drug development. We report in this study the identification of surface markers by performing comparative proteomics of established human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) latent cell models and parental cell lines. To this end we isolated integral membrane proteins using a biotin-directed affinity purification method. Isolated proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) after in gel digestion. Seventeen different proteins were found to vary on the surface of T-cells due to HIV-1 infection. Of these proteins, 47% were integral membrane proteins, and 18% were membrane-associated. Through the use of complementary techniques such as Western blotting and fluorescent staining, we confirmed the differential expression of some of the proteins identified by MALDI-TOF including Bruton's tyrosine kinase and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis. Finally, using phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors and flavopiridol to inhibit Bruton's tyrosine kinase localization at the membrane and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein expression, respectively, we showed that HIV-1 latently infected cells are more sensitive to these drugs than uninfected cells. This suggests that HIV-1 latently infected cells may be targeted with drugs that alter several pathways that are essential for the establishment and maintenance of latency.

[J Biol Chem.]
2007 Mar 16;282(11):8207-




NOW THEY CAN TARGET THE LATENT HIV CELLS....

http://www.gwu.edu/~vertes/publicat_html/Berro%202007.pdf



Offline Fosbery

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #128 on: May 18, 2007, 02:29:39 pm »
Sorry to pop anyone's balloon here, but I know of three pharmaceutical companies working on a cure. So quit with the back-of-the-envelope nonsense about them not wanting to do it.

That's a tellin them Hivworker, Im with you, we must stay optmistic and have faith in our scientist, I do and must other wise what hope do we have.

Fosbery

Offline RobT

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #129 on: May 23, 2007, 07:02:32 pm »
If all of big Pharma looks at this in the long-term, instead of their short-term goals; it wud mean that they wud not have to continually research and spend huge sums of $$$$ for a short-term solution and that they cud get to more long-term ways. Plus, they wud b able to profit from finding a "cure". I wud much rather spend the funds, if I had them to a more long-term solution instead of being close to broke on short-term fixes.

Rob
Current meds: Atripla
VL: undetectable
CD4: 630

Offline jivemiguel1

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #130 on: June 08, 2007, 06:29:16 pm »
For anybody who cares to comment on this, I welcome it.  After having separate conversations with two respected Aids doctors, I was sorrowfully informed, that a vaccine is at least 20 years away.  Sure, there will be treatment, but an actual cure or prevention is still 2 decades in the making.  Kinda let the wind out of my sails.  Guess I should be thankful, we've come as far as we have with our current treatment.

Offline Jake72

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #131 on: June 08, 2007, 11:09:34 pm »
Some people feel that a therapeutic vaccine will arrive before a preventive vaccine.  As has been discussed here, a therapeutic vaccine wouldn't be an outright cure, but it could allow people to dump their medications or at least go for longer periods without medications.  There are also other possibilities, such as gene therapy, which wouldn't be a 'cure', but could possibly allow people to ditch their meds and still control the virus. 

As for me, I don't really care if HIV is there as long as it doesn't do anything and I don't have to take medications.  In that respect, HIV would be like chicken pox, a virus that stays with us always but is usually under control.  Chicken pox can't be cured and isn't entirely cleared, as far as I know.  Bottom line: those of us who had chicken pox as kids usually don't think too much about it as adults because there's no reason to think about it even though the virus is in our systems.  HIV could possibly be the same kind of situation, and to me, practically speaking, that'd be just as good as a cure that'd clear the virus. 

So even if a cure or preventive vaccine doesn't appear for 20 years, things could still get a LOT easier for us before then.

Offline Central79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #132 on: June 09, 2007, 06:24:32 am »
That's a tellin them Hivworker, Im with you, we must stay optmistic and have faith in our scientist, I do and must other wise what hope do we have.

Fosbery


He never told us which 3. It's just not reasonable to say "I know about this, so stop discussing that" and then just leave it there.

I'm not saying that the pharmaceutical industry is intrinsically evil. All of the current therapies against HIV come from that industry. But the way in which it's structured - being both fragmented and highly competitive and also involving large research costs mean that companies tend to research diseases that affect rich Western countries (when was the last anti-Malarial?!) and also avoid pioneering really novel approaches to disease. I think the cure for HIV is going to take a major, co-ordinated effort that might be beyond the risk a pharmaceutical is willing or able to make.

Look at HIV vaccines. A lot of money has gone into simply co-ordinating the global effort and making sure results are shared, and research isn't duplicated. There's nothing similar in the pharmaceutical industry for the cure (how could there be?).

M.
Diagnosed January 2006
26/1/06 - 860 (22%), VL > 500,000
24/4/06 - 820 (24.6%), VL 158,000
13/7/06 - 840 (22%), VL 268,000
1/11/06 - 680 (21%), VL 93,100
29/1/07 - 1,020 (27.5%), VL 46,500
15/5/07 - 1,140 (22.8%), VL not done.
13/10/07 - 759 (23.2%), VL 170,000
6/11/07 - 630 (25%), VL 19,324
14/1/08 - 650 (21%), VL 16,192
15/4/08 - 590 (21%), VL 40, 832

Offline ARMANDO

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #133 on: June 09, 2007, 06:50:16 am »
THERS IS NO MONEY IN A CURE!!!THINK ABOUT IT AND FACE IT !!!JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH HIV INSTEAD OF THNKING YOU CAN DIE FROM IT!!

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #134 on: June 09, 2007, 11:02:41 am »
If we assumed that type of thinking, Armando, there would never historically been a cure for ANY disease.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline resul

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #135 on: June 12, 2007, 10:42:17 pm »
I'M SURE

Offline powerpuff

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #136 on: June 13, 2007, 05:33:51 pm »
no virus has been cured ...till now/  hep c  :o
2/3 of cases can be cleared with duel treatment pegatron pegasus/ interferon new cases show!
depending on your GENOtype some cases are tougher.... :-\ see your doc

My best friend just cleared hep C. this is a pivitol in treatment history.

HMMMM now just to beat that pesky Aids virus...more challenging >:(

Offline HIVworker

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #137 on: July 14, 2007, 07:53:21 am »
THERS IS NO MONEY IN A CURE!!!THINK ABOUT IT AND FACE IT !!!JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH HIV INSTEAD OF THNKING YOU CAN DIE FROM IT!!

I better give up my job then.
NB. Any advice about HIV is given in addition to your own medical advice and not intended to replace it. You should never make clinical decisions based on what anyone says on the internet but rather check with your ID doctor first. Discussions from the internet are just that - Discussions. They may give you food for thought, but they should not direct you to do anything but fuel discussion.

Offline J.R.E.

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #138 on: July 14, 2007, 11:55:34 pm »
I better give up my job then.

Hello R,


I was wondering, when you were going to chime in again. Hey, Keep up the good work for us !



Ray
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline Jimrican

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #139 on: July 15, 2007, 04:34:20 am »
So much talk about a cure in our lifetime but so far no virus has a cure. HIV is so potent that they hide in places meds don't reach. How likely is it that a cure is found?

I'm still hopeful that pharmaceuticals will get tired of spending millions of dollars researching for meds they know won't work and start looking for a cure in natural remedies: e.g. something as simple as Vit C  seems to be toxic to virus cells when administered in megadoses...Vit C, however, don't hurt healthy human cells..That'd be cheaper and more accesible, but sadly, there are financial interests behind all this issue...Besides, most medical training on HIV/ Aids are funded by the same pharmaceuticals...
Screaming for a cure, but in the meantime asking for help with a peaceful attitude, so that all doors be opened.

Offline allopathicholistic

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #140 on: July 16, 2007, 01:44:46 pm »
The term you are looking for is "Sustained Virological Response" meaning the virus doesn't come back off meds ever. There will always be the guts of inactive HIV in the blood and HIV antibodies. But the body would have no active HIV. That's as good as it would get.

What updates (if any) are there on Sustained Virological Response
???

(sigh  :-\)

Offline bear60

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #141 on: July 16, 2007, 03:52:44 pm »
Quote jimrican
"I'm still hopeful that pharmaceuticals will get tired of spending millions of dollars researching for meds they know won't work and start looking for a cure in natural remedies: e.g. something as simple as Vit C  seems to be toxic to virus cells when administered in megadoses...Vit C, however, don't hurt healthy human cells..That'd be cheaper and more accesible, but sadly, there are financial interests behind all this issue...Besides, most medical training on HIV/ Aids are funded by the same pharmaceuticals..."
..................................
I am really glad he is not employed by a pharmaceutical company.
Poz Bear Type in Philadelphia

Offline LittlePill

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #142 on: July 30, 2007, 10:03:43 am »
I'm not sure if an outright cure will ever be found but I do think there will be a therapeutic vaccine in the near future.  Maybe something that offers better control of the virus with very minimal side effects. From everything I've read, this seems to be the direction that they are heading. This doesn't seem to be an overly optimistic view but a reality. If they'd at least get that far, then I'd be happy. And it does seem that they are going to get that far in the near future...right?  :-\

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #143 on: July 30, 2007, 11:11:40 am »
Well LittlePill, you'd have to define what you mean by "near future," which is why I took issue with this at the treads beginning and having it as a choice in the poll.

It's entirely too vague, and it's rendered the entire thread and its poll results utterly useless.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline a2z

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #144 on: August 24, 2007, 03:07:25 am »
My first post here, so bear with me.

I don't think there will be a cure for a long while, if only because what I consider to be a cure is as follows:
   1) It can be eradicated from your body without major side effects
   2) It can reverse a certain amount of immune system damage (in terms that your immune system from that point forward your immune system will work as it did pre-infection, not that your liver, which was damaged as a result of HIV/AIDS will come back to normal.)
   3) You cannot infect others  -- (right now I'd settle for a vaccine that would prevent others from passing the virus through sex -- I wonder if an anti-ejaculate could be developed....)
 
I think that, or even a good preventive vaccine, are at least two decades off.

I do think good therapies, where one might have to take a pill or injection every few weeks, are around the corner -- certainly within 5-7 years.  (Could TNX-355 or PRO-140, and Racivir be keys to a twice-monthly cocktail)
Dates are blood draw dates:
3/12/15: CD4 941, 36.4%, VL UD
9/4/14: CD4 948, 37.9%, VL 150
5/23/14: CD4 895 --.-% VL UD - Truvada/Isentress
09/21/09: CD4 898 27.0% VL 120 - back on track, same meds.High level enzymes, but less so
06/15/09: CD4 478 21.8% VL 1150 - high liver enzymes... looks like I may not be resistant
05/22/09: Fixed insurance, resumed medicine
04/17/09: Ran out of medicine, could not resolve insurance problems
04/01/09: CD4 773 28% VL 120 - high liver enzymes
12/01/08: CD4 514 23% VL 630
10/17/08 started Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada. -- possibly minor neuropathy, but otherwise okay.
9/10/08: CD4 345 17%, VL > 78K
8/18/08: CD4 312 18%, VL > 60K (considering meds)
12/19/07: CD4 550 28% VL > 100K (no meds yet)
Diagnosed 10/23/07

Offline ZCorker

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #145 on: August 31, 2007, 01:06:18 am »
Yes.  I think there will be a cure, but that cure will be somewhat dependent on hiv patients taking steps to incorporate systematic and incremental discoveries into existing vaccine and other treatment modalities.

Below is an article that described a discovery from French Researchers in Quebec.  They discovered that the only reason T-Cells don't kill hiv is because of a missing protein http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/50180.php

Now if this missing protein was added to the vaccine developed by Dr. Gravatais (spelling?) at UCLA, we might have a treatment that could really do something.  Ultimately it is up to patients to put the two sources together.  For those of you who don't recall who Dr. Gravatis (spelling?) is, she is the doctor who discovered how to protect the outer shell during the pasteurization process.  This came out over four years ago.  From a historical point, the Salk Hiv Vaccine was not able to accomplish this, but Dr. Gravaitis figured out how to improve the Salk Vaccine so that it would accomplish this.  What researchers found was that the body produced a huge amount of Gamma Interferon if the outer shell was protected.

Million dollar question is this?  Is anyone working on putting these sources together?  Or even other vaccine manufacturers?  I personal sent an email to NIH about the protein discovery and questioned why this newly discovered bit of research isn't being utilized.

Whether or not there is a cure is going to be dependent on hiv patients willingness to get involved.  Much of the treatment and research we have today is as a direct result of hiv patients taking the time to contact people, researchers, and raise private funds to fund these projects.  Dr. Gravaitis (spelling?) vaccine project was funded by a $25,000 grant made from a private fund raising organization in Los Angeles.


Offline Customer

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #146 on: September 03, 2007, 01:23:58 pm »

Even if BIG pharmaceutical companies migth not be interested in finding a cure, they nevertheless have interest in improving traditional haart (once a week cocktail, less side effects...). They all want to have the best-seller.

As time goes on some of the older patents run out of time, and more and more older generation haart-drugs can be legally plagiated and manufactured, this will reduce the cost of haart. Competition reduces the prices. On the other hand, more and more people will be infected.

In the meantime, smaller companies and universities are looking for the "cure", or vaccine.  When is the cure on the market? - I would bet 10 years from now. Some good ideas are out there already. (Cure means in this context not eradication, it means permanent neutralization ans isolation).

It is a question of setting up economical circumstances where financial benefit is sufficient driving force for cure-development.




Offline thunter34

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #147 on: September 03, 2007, 04:34:24 pm »
right now I'd settle for a vaccine that would prevent others from passing the virus through sex -- I wonder if an anti-ejaculate could be developed....)
 


God, I hope not.  For better or worse, I would rather have the illness.
AIDS isn't for sissies.

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #148 on: September 03, 2007, 05:09:47 pm »
Wow, I missed that too.  I'd just as soon be six feet under than have my orgasm taken away.  I mean really -- what the point?
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline silence79

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Re: Do u think HIV/AIDS will ever have a cure?
« Reply #149 on: September 05, 2007, 03:57:40 pm »
Re:  Bill Gates.  Just note that Gates says we will likely have a vaccine in his lifetime.  Remember, everyone, a vaccine is not a cure. 

Sorry to rain on the parade, but let's keep our terminology straight.

Lol...im sorry i dont mean to rain on your rain, but here's another one of bill's famous predictions:

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981

:)

 


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