HIV: how is scientific research progressing?

Yasmina Kattou edited by Wassila Belhacine 11:22 a.m., March 25, 2022

This Friday, March 25 marks the start of the weekend of sidaction.

Like every year, Sidaction calls for donations that can be made by calling 110 or on the association's website.

Today, 173,000 people are infected with HIV in France.

HIV-positive people have an almost normal life thanks to tritherapies that have evolved since the end of the 90s. Is research progressing?

Where are we today in treatments?  

Lighter treatments 

26 years ago, the first anti-HIV triple therapy consisted of taking no less than 20 tablets a day.

Today, treatments have evolved a lot, explains Serawit Bruck-Landais, head of Sidaction's Research Department: "It's one pill a day which comes with three antiretrovirals in order to be able to control the multiplication of the virus. Since January, we have also injectable treatments every two months", explains the researcher at the microphone of Europe 1.

Less heavy treatments, easier to take for life.

Since it is not possible, for the moment, to cure HIV.

On the other hand, research could allow patients to be in remission, to render the virus harmless. 

>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here 

"The virus constitutes cells which are called reservoirs. The current research consists of understanding how to better target these reservoirs, extract the virus present in these cells, so that people can control the virus through their immune system", continues Serawit Bruck-Landais.

 Thanks to these treatments, HIV would somehow be put to sleep in the body.

Patients could then do without treatment.