Evidence before this study
viremia
VIRUS, VIREMIA
Strategies for an effective HIV cure are complicated by the ability of the virus to establish latent reservoirs in infected cells. The BCN02 clinical study (NCT02616874) used a “kick and kill” strategy, combining the latency reversing agent (RMD) and a therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine with the aim to reactivate the viral reservoir and trigger effective antiviral immune responses. During the subsequent treatment interruption phase, 32% of the participants were able to control viral replication to levels below 2000 viral copies/ml. For further refinement of cure strategies and to increase the safety of such trials, there is an urgent need to identify non-invasive biomarkers that can predict viral control before ART interruption. The definition of such markers may also identify novel therapeutic targets that can improve future cure strategies. In this clinical setting, CD33/Siglec-3 emerged as a biomarker for predicting whether individuals will control or not control viremia during ART interruption, even when assessed in samples drawn at the baseline timepoint. Aside from defining CD33/Siglec-3 as an early predictor of virus control post treatment stop, our 