New research could 'revolutionise' HIV treatment

Brand new research has yielded an antibody that medical experts claim could lead to significant developments in the battle against HIV.

The new antibodies have been tested on monkeys in the US, which were infected with a hybrid of the HIV virus that combined monkey and human immunodeficiencies.

Once given the treatment, three of the monkeys tested were cured of the disease in a matter of days. Its success means the next step of the trials will be to pilot the antibodies on human sufferers.

The trials were conducted by the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. They claimed the effect of the antibodies appeared to be more potent than any HIV treatment they had seen in the past.

Speaking to the BBC, Professor Dan Barouch explained: "The effect with these potent antibodies is profound and unprecedented. It's probably as large an antiviral therapeutic effect as has ever been seen."

However, the professor went on to say that it is too early to make any concrete assumptions regarding how successful the treatment will be when given to humans.