4 weeks 21 hours 10 min ago Scientists may have found way to stop spread of HIV Play video

(NECN: Ally Donnelly) - Researchers say they may have come up with a new way to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Teams at Harvard Medical School and Texas Tech University published their findings in the Journal Cell today -- and doctors on the front lines say it could mean a huge leap forward in patient care.

Using a novel method to deliver small molecules called siRNAs into T cells, researchers dramatically suppressed HIV in the first-ever animal model that mirrors progression of the disease in humans.

The siRNAs knocked down three key genes and kept the infection from spreading in mice containing human immune cells infected with the virus.

This study demonstrates that siRNAs can control the spread of HIV among cells in an animal model. Although labs must verify the findings in other animal models before attempting clinical trials, siRNAs may eventually supplement or replace the harsh drug cocktails currently prescribed to patients with HIV, reducing the side effects of treatment.