Norwegian man likely cured of HIV
A Norwegian man has been free of the virus for nearly two and a half years following treatment and is likely cured of HIV.
The man from Oslo had lived with HIV for between 10 and 15 years when he became ill with a bone marrow disease. Four years after receiving a bone marrow transplant, he appears to be cured, reports newspaper VG (link in Norwegian).
There are no signs of remaining virus in the man, according to Marius Trøseid, who is a professor at the Research Institute for Internal Medicine and a chief physician at Rikshospitalet University Hospital. The researcher has led the project together with chief physician Anders Myhre.
"I've never been part of anything bigger," says Marius Trøseid.
First time in Scandinavia
This is the first time in Norway and Scandinavia that someone has reportedly been cured of HIV following a blood stem cell transplant.
"He has been virus-free for several years, but virus-free without treatment for 2.5 years, which technically should not be possible," says Anders Myhre.
The transplant used blood stem cells from the man's brother, who had an HIV-resistant mutation.
"He feels like he's won the lottery"
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Myhre believes it is incredibly lucky to find a donor with the same tissue type who also has this mutation.
"He feels like he's won the lottery. He's completely cured of the bone marrow disease and probably also of HIV. He appears to be very healthy and fit," says Trøseid.
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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
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