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Effective antiretroviral therapy can reduce HIV viral loads to undetectable levels, but because of long-lived latently infected cells, it cannot eradicate the virus. Given that histone deacetylase 1 promotes such latency and valproic acid is a licensed inhibitor of this enzyme, researchers have hoped that valproic acid could play a role in reducing latency. In a previous study, a combination of T-20 and valproic acid reduced the frequency of latently infected cells in three of four patients (ACC Dec 28 2005). Although the specific contribution of valproic acid was unclear, the study received considerable attention, in part because the authors expressed their belief that valproic acid could eventually lead to a cure for HIV.
Now, investigator…