$10 Billion Deal, page-874

Another phase 2 trial to measure reservoir clearance is possible because of the new reservoir measurement tech but since no one was cured in BIT's trial what would be the point of showing some reservoir clearance. Is there any clinical benefit from some reservoir clearance short and long term . With patent life running out in 2027 there maybe no pharma willing to do long term expensive trials on partial reservoir clearance imo. If it happens it may have to be funded by someone other than pharma companies.



https://www.hhmi.org/news/hiv-hidden-in-patients-cells-can-now-be-accurately-measured

"most scientists use a simpler technique that relies on a genetic reaction called PCR to measure how much viral DNA is present in CD4 cells. The problem, says Siliciano, is that 98 percent of the HIV instruction books are so defective they’re harmless, so the method overestimates the number that matters to patient health.

Siliciano’s team instead designed a PCR reaction that can distinguish between defective and intact viral templates, using fluorescent probes in two different colors. The probes target areas prone to mutations that can cause defects, and a color read-out indicates whether the HIV instructions are defective or not.

That means that scientists can use the new technique to assess whether a given intervention – an experimental drug, or cocktail of drugs, for example – is affecting the pool of hidden HIV instructions that actually threaten patients’ lives.

“For decades, the field has been clamoring for an accurate measure for these hidden viral templates,” Siliciano says. “Now, we have a good way to know if we are making a dent in their numbers.”