Norwegian Man Achieves Full Long-Term HIV Remission After Stem Cell Transplant from Brother

# Norwegian Man Achieves Full Long-Term HIV Remission After Stem Cell Transplant OSLO (Substrate) -- A Norwegian man received a stem cell donation from his brother to treat his rare blood cancer, leading to full long-term remission from HIV five years after the procedure.

The man, known as the Oslo patient, had HIV for over a decade before the donation. Tests confirmed the remission at the five-year mark, with no traces of functioning HIV DNA found at four years post-procedure.

The brother's stem cells had a genetic mutation making them resistant to HIV, which removed a certain receptor in white blood cells that HIV uses to infect the immune system. The medical team at Oslo University Hospital was unaware of the brother's rare genetic mutation before the transplant was scheduled. The team monitored the procedure closely due to the potential for HIV cure.

Procedure and Immediate Aftermath The patient stopped taking his HIV medication two years after the procedure.

Researchers observed changes in the behavior of the patient's immune system's T cells after the procedure, with the T cells stopping to behave like they were under siege by HIV. The patient suffered from graft-versus-host disease after the transplant. At four years post-procedure, the medical team found no traces of functioning HIV DNA in the patient's body.

The patient's five-year check-up showed consistent results with no functioning HIV.

Case Details and Global Context The case was reported on Monday in the journal Nature Microbiology.

The Oslo patient is the 10th person worldwide to achieve full, long-term remission from HIV. As of 2024, almost 41 million people were living with HIV worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Marius Trøseid said the patient feels like he has won the lottery twice: he was cured of his bone marrow disease, which could be fatal, and he is now cured of HIV, most likely.

Research Implications The medical team at Oslo University Hospital conducted the transplant for the rare blood cancer while addressing the patient's long-standing HIV infection.

The genetic mutation in the donor's cells provided the resistance that contributed to the remission outcome.