With HIV spread to 10 people every minute and 5 million people a year, researchers are optimistic about early results of a new HIV drug study.
Federal scientists found that the AIDS drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine showed promise in preventing HIV in monkeys. Officials said the monkey results were so promising that they’ll expand the trials to healthy high-risk men and women around the world, the Associated Press reported.
The first tests dosed, then infected six monkeys. Despite repeated doses of both the human and monkey AIDS viruses, the monkeys failed to seroconvert.
“Seeing complete protection is very promising," Walid Heneine, a CDC scientist working on the study, told the Associated Press. "This is very promising. For us to be involved in a potential solution to the big HIV crisis and pandemic is very exciting."
Compiled from the Associated Press, Fazed, Honolulu Star-Bulletin and other news sources.