Argos Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ARGS) has reported beneficial immunogenicity results from the study of the AGS-004 in patients suffering from acute HIV infection. The new immunogenicity data were published recently in the Journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.
The study was carried out both at the University of North Carolina and the Duke University. Six patients with acute HIV infection were sampled and the data was created in a single form. The AGS-004 is produced basing on the Arcelis® precision technology, generated on individual basis for every patient.
During the study, AGS-004 was given on a monthly basis to participants in the study who had experienced with acute HIV infection restrained by ART. ART treatment was gradually replaced by the new AGS-004 after the patients’ immunity response made a predefined entry. Three to four doses of AGS-004 were administered to the subjects in the study.
Researchers attained its key endpoint, when all the six participants demonstrated a constructive immune response. As a result, the presence of the positive immune response in all patients, their ART treatment was interrupted for 29 days after which the ART was again resumed.
Furthermore, the magnitude of their immune response was found to be positively correlated after the ART drugs were interrupted. Consistence in treatment of patients with AGS-004 was discovered to be well-tolerated, with no serious undesirable reports from the participants.
The positive findings from the study has significantly supported Argos’ ongoing HIV program and there is optimism of finally finding the treatment for the deadly disease. The study being conducted at the University of North Carolina is planning to add 12 patients more with the first data anticipated to be revealed in the early 2018.
According to Charles Nicolette, one of the researchers at Argos, the latest results are encouraging and this is the first step in their goal of combating the HIV infection and completely eliminating the HIV viral reservoir which has never been achieved with the current therapies. AGS-004 is expected to lead to more insights into understanding the alternative strategies that can help in discovering treatment of acute HIV infection.
