### **Groundbreaking mRNA Technique Unmasks Latent HIV, Paving New Path Toward a Cure**

### Groundbreaking mRNA Technique Unmasks Latent HIV, Paving New Path Toward a Cure

**Melbourne, Australia** – In a significant leap forward in the global effort to eradicate HIV, scientists at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity have developed a novel method to "unmask" the virus from its hiding placeswithin the human body. This breakthrough, published in the prestigious journal *Nature Communications*, overcomes a major obstacle that has long thwarted the development of a definitive cure for HIV, offering renewed hope in the decades-long battle against the disease.

### **Groundbreaking mRNA Technique Unmasks Latent HIV, Paving New Path Toward a Cure**

The primary challenge

in curing HIV lies in its ability to establish a latent reservoir. The virus can integrate its genetic code into the DNA of long-lived immune cells, primarily white blood cells, where it lies dormant and invisible to both the body’s immune system and standard antiretroviral therapy (ART).

While ART can effectively suppress the virus to undetectable levels in the
blood, it cannot eliminate these hidden reservoirs. If treatment is stopped, the
latent virus can reactivate, leading to a rebound of the infection.

TheAustralian research team has pioneered a "kick and kill" strategy with unprecedented success at the cellular level. They harnessed the power of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, famously used in COVID-19 vaccines, to deliver specific genetic instructions to the infected cells.

The goal was to "kick" the dormant virus into an active state, thereby exposing it for elimination by the immune system or targeted drugs.

However

a critical barrier stood in their way: standard lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the fatty bubbles used to deliver mRNA, were ineffective at reaching the specific types of immune cells where HIV hides. To solve this, the researchers engineered a completely new class of LNP.

This novel delivery system was successfully able to transport the mRNA
payload into the target cells from HIV-positive donors. Once inside, the
mRNA instructed the cells to reveal the hidden virus, effectively unmasking
it.

Dr. Paula Cevaal, a lead researcher on the study, described the team's astonishment at the results. "We initially thought the findings were too good to be true," she stated, recalling the moment a colleague presented the data. "We had it repeated, and the results were just as promising.

The difference was night and day—from complete failure to sudden, remarkable success. It was a truly stunning moment."

Dr. Cevaal emphasized

that this new LNP design represents a potential "new pathway for an HIV cure." While she cautiously noted that many biomedical discoveries do not translate to clinical use, she affirmed the unique potential of their findings. "In the context of HIV, we have never seen anything that comes close to the quality of the results we now have in terms of unmasking this virus," she added.

The road ahead involves further rigorous research. The next critical step is to
test the technology in animal models to determine if unmasking the virus
allows the immune system to effectively recognize and destroy it. Extensive
safety and efficacy testing will be required, meaning human clinical trials are
likely still several years away.

Nonetheless, this breakthrough represents a monumental step. By solving the complex challenge of delivering a "wake-up call" directly to HIV's secret hideouts, the Doherty Institute team has opened a powerful new front in the quest for a cure.