捆绑SM社区

An innovative treatment for HIV/AIDS patients developed by 捆绑SM社区 Health Centre (MUHC) researchers has passed its first clinical trial with flying colours. The new approach is an immunotherapy customized for each individual patient, and was developed by Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy from the Research Institute of the MUHC in collaboration with Dr. Rafick S茅kaly from the Universit茅 de Montr茅al. 鈥淭his is a vaccine made for the individual patient 鈥� an 鈥渉aute couture鈥� therapy, instead of an off-the-rack treatment鈥� said Dr Routy.

By 鈥減riming鈥� the immune system, as with a vaccine, to fight the specific strain of HIV/AIDS infecting a given patient, the scientists believe they have developed a therapy that shows immense promise and could be an even more effective weapon against the virus than the anti-retroviral cocktails currently in use. The results of the first-stage clinical trials, which tested the therapy in conjunction with anti-retroviral drugs, were published recently in Clinical Immunology. Phase 2 of the clinical trial, which is nearly complete, is testing the therapy鈥檚 efficacy on its own at 8 different sites in Canada.

The new therapy uses dendritic cells which are removed from each HIV-infected patient and subsequently multiplied in-vitro. Dendritic cells present material from invading viruses on their surface, allowing the rest of the immune system to identify and attack the invaders. 鈥淭hey are the 鈥済rand conductors鈥� of the immune response,鈥� explains Dr Routy. 鈥淲ith them, you push the immune system, in all its functions, at the same time.鈥� In the current trial, dendritic cells were exposed to a sample of HIV RNA (ribonucleic acid) specific to the patient involved. This exposure encouraged the cells to develop defences specific to that viral strain. The modified cells 鈥� called AGS-004 鈥� were then injected back into the patients.

Not only were there few reported side-effects from the AGS-004, but the researchers also measured increased levels of CD8-lymphocytes in the patients - the 鈥渁ttack鈥� cells of the human immune system that the treatment is intended to mobilize, thus confirming that the intervention was targeted and controlled.

By boosting the immune system in this way, Routy hopes to develop an HIV/AIDS treatment that will require fewer injections and less long-term toxicity for patients than antriretrovirals.

is a practitioner in the Division of Hematology at the MUHC as well as a researcher in the Infection and Immunity Axis at the Research Institute of the MUHC. He is also an Associate Professor of Hematology at 捆绑SM社区 University in addition to a senior clinical researcher with the Fonds de la Recherche en Sant茅 du Qu茅bec (FRSQ).

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics (CANVAC), the Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Argos Therapeutics.

Partners

This article was co-authored by Rafick-Pierre S茅kaly, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Mohamed-Rachid Boulassel of the 捆绑SM社区 Health Centre (MUHC), Bader Yassine-Diab and Oleg Yegorov of the Universit茅 de Montr茅al and Centre Hospitalier de l鈥橴niversit茅 de Montr茅al (CHUM), Lothar Finke, Don Healey, Renu Jain, Tamara Monesmith ,Charles Nicolette and Irina Tcherepanova of Argos Therapeutics, In, Durham, USA.

You will find this press release, with the original article and a short audio interview by following this link:

The Research Institute of the 捆绑SM社区 Health Centre (RI MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and health-care hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the institute is the research arm of the MUHC, the university health center affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at 捆绑SM社区 University. The institute supports over 600 researchers, nearly 1200 graduate and post-doctoral students and operates more than 300 laboratories devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental and clinical research. The Research Institute operates at the forefront of knowledge, innovation and technology and is inextricably linked to the clinical programs of the MUHC, ensuring that patients benefit directly from the latest research-based knowledge.

The Research Institute of the MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de la recherche en sant茅聽 du Qu茅bec. For further details visit:

The 捆绑SM社区 Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.

About the MUHC Redevelopment Project Guided by its mission and its role as co-leaders of the 捆绑SM社区 integrated university hospital network, the MUHC is carrying out a $2.2-billion Redevelopment Project that will help the Government achieve its vision for academic medicine in Quebec. Excellence in patient care, research, education and technology assessment will be fostered on three state-of-the-art campuses鈥擳he Mountain, the Glen and Lachine鈥攁nd through strong relationships with healthcare partners. Each LEED庐-registered campus will be designed to provide patients and their families with 鈥淭he Best Care for Life鈥� in a healing environment that is anchored in best sustainable development practices, including BOMA BESt guidelines.

For more information please contact:

Julie Robert
Communications Coordinator (research)聽
Public Affairs & Strategic Planning聽
(514)聽843 1560 julie.robert [at] muhc.mcgill.ca" target="_blank">
julie.robert [at] muhc.mcgill.ca