By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A ground-breaking HIV cure trial conducted in Durban, South Africa, has demonstrated promising results in achieving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free virus control.
An exploration of an HIV cure has shown that 20% of participants in a trial remained virally suppressed without antiretroviral therapy (ART) after one-and-a-half years.
The results of the study were presented at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), in San Francisco, USA.
The study tested a promising HIV treatment approach called combination immunotherapy. The goal was to either eliminate or reduce hidden traces of HIV in the body so the immune system could keep the virus in check without the need for lifelong medication.
The research is the first HIV cure clinical trial to be conducted on the African continent.
It is led by the HIV Pathogenesis Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
“We first give the antiretroviral therapy, and then we give the immune booster, and then we interrupt the antiretroviral therapy,” lead researcher of the trial, Thumbi Ndung’u, explained.
“We continue to give the immune booster for a short while and then we stop giving both the immune booster as well as the antiretroviral therapy.
“This can only be done under very strict clinical observation.
“In some people, the virus will rebound, and that’s what we saw. But in 20% of individuals, we saw that they could actually control the virus without antiretroviral therapy. So that is very good.”
Ndung’u said that even after the trial, the four participants whose results were successful continued without medication for an average of 1.5 years.
Professor Busisiwe Ncama, Deputy vice-chancellor and Head: College of Health Sciences said, “Heartfelt congratulations to Professor Thumbi Ndung’u and his team on their groundbreaking achievement in HIV cure research—the first of its kind in Africa.
“Your pioneering study, which has shown that 20% of trial participants remain off ART and virally suppressed after one-and-a-half years, marks a significant milestone in the global fight against HIV. This extraordinary breakthrough not only brings hope to millions but also paves the way for future HIV cure strategies, said Ncama.