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The Chemistry of everyday life, an HIV blogger. Twitter: @tcghiv | Email: tetrahydroziline@gmail.com

Ridaura and Mosaic Vaccine

Two medical breakthroughs were released recently.

1.
New tests shows a Gold (Au)-containing drug eliminates HIV reservoirs. 

Reservoirs make HIV difficult to cure. Those creatures get inside on what we call "Memory Cells" for a while. They stay for as long as 8-10 years and when ARV treatment is stopped, resurgence and replication will recur.  

ARV's stop the HIV replication process, that is at different stages. Researchers are now looking for ways on how to target these inactive cells-containing HIV. 

The drug Ridaura (brand) - auranofin (generic) is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It acts by killing those inactive cells and shortening the lives of the new ones. 

Here's the complete story - hope you understand some terms :) LINK

2.
Another reason why HIV is hard to cure is because it can mutate and adapt to certain environment caused by drugs used and the body's natural immune system. Proteins which are very stubborn and intelligent in finding ways to enter CD4 cells.

Mosaic Vaccine

A potential new vaccine that will commence human trials by late 2012 - when the world is about to end. 

A vaccine that comprises of different sets of proteins from a central database. Database which is home to different information on HIV mutations. 

Here's the LINK

Plus the new line of ARV's for to be tested.

Hope this will end the 25-year reign of the creature. Just like the old days when people were scared of Bubonic Plague and when Polio is now eradicated.

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