A Novel Therapeutic AAV-vectored Bi-Specific Neutralizing Antibody against HIV/AIDS

Professor Chen, Zhiwei   (Project Coordinator (PC))

Dr Tan Zhiwu   (Co-Investigator)

18

2018-01-01

2019-06-30

1399550

A Novel Therapeutic AAV-vectored Bi-Specific Neutralizing Antibody against HIV/AIDS

AAV-vectored, Bi-Specific, HIV/AIDS, Neutralizing Antibody, Therapeutic

Microbiology

ITS/170/17

Innovation and Technology Support Programme (Tier 3)

2017

Completed

AIDS pandemic has led to 39 million deaths and 36.9 million people currently living with HIV-1, the AIDS virus. However, there remains neither an effective preventive vaccine nor a therapeutic cure. In Hong Kong, three major HIV-1 subtypes B/B’, CRF01_AE and CRF07/08_BC as well as their newly recombinant forms account for the growing HIV-1 epidemic. In 2016, 692 cases were reported, leading to a total of 8410 infected individuals in our city, which may require an estimated treatment cost over HK$600 million per year. Since current antiretroviral treatment cannot cure HIV-1 infection, we aim to explore in vivo expression of an HKU-patented bi-specific neutralizing antibody (called BiIA-SG) for functional cure of HIV-1 infection. BiIA-SG is exceptionally potent by inhibiting all HIV-1 subtypes tested. Importantly, in vivo expression of BiIA-SG via adeno-associated virus (AAV), namely AAV-BiIA-SG, was capable of eliminating HIV-1 infected cells in humanized mice effectively. Here, we aim to determine the in vivo efficacy of AAV-BiIA-SG in SHIV/macaque model, which is an essential step before entering human trials. If the AAV-BiIA-SG works in monkeys by suppressing viral replication and eliminating persistently infected cells, it will be useful as a potential cost-effective immunotherapy for all infected people.