New Insights into the Effects of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Against HIV

In recent years, antibodies that potently neutralize a broad array of HIV isolates have been identified. These broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are entering clinical trials for prevention and treatment of HIV infection. A bNAb called 3BNC117 reduces HIV RNA levels by an average of 1.48 log₁₀ copies/mL in infected patients who are not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (Nature 2015; 522:487). Now, two studies show that the antibody has additional important activities.

In the first study, Lu and colleagues modeled HIV RNA kinetics in patients who received a single infusion of 3BNC117. The model predicted that, in addition to neutralizing free virus, the antibody clears infected cells. The authors had additional findings that support this c…