Abstract

The elimination of HIV-AIDS by 2030 is a challenging target for a country such as the D.R. Congo, since currently fewer than 50% of persons living with HIV (PLWH) are under antiretroviral treatment (ART) and have a viral suppression. There also a high rate of death of PLWH in D.R. Congo. Accessible, affordable and sustainable immunotherapy, coupled with ART, can provide a substantial support to eliminating HIV. The purpose of this paper is to describe the measured clinical and biological profiles over a 4-year period of treatment with the immunomodulator 6,6’-dithiodinicotinic acid (CPDS), of a patient who was only 10-months old at the start of treatment. The patient was part of a larger two-year clinical trial of CPDS on HIV-AIDS. This study found that despite his advanced clinical HIV stage (being born to parents with terminal HIV), the patient maintained his weight and lymphocyte counts, and did not experienced any severe HIV-AIDS-related illness during the study period. This suggests a beneficial or protective effect of CPDS treatment. The patient shifted to ARV at 5-years old and is now 17-years old, and under first-line ART. The study concludes that survival of this child could likely be attributed to CPDS. We therefore recommend exploring further the simultaneous use of ART and CPDS immunotherapy for a greater clinical and biological benefit of PLWH.  We also recommend further study into the mechanism of action of the compound.

Key words: HIV-AIDS treatment, immunomodulation, 6,6’-dithiodinicotinic acid.