How far away is a functional cure?

[LemonOne9]

I'm still new to this so forgive me if I'm using the wrong terminology...

But what time frame do you guys estimate to where we have access to treatment(s) that don't necessarily eradicate the virus completely but at least suppress it enough to where  symptoms and transmission risk would essentially be in the neighborhood of zero?

They've already done this with HIV so why not HSV? Is there anything more inherently challenging about treating HSV or is it simply the fact that it's a "lower priority" virus to cure.

[iFdUp]

The method of transmission is the primary issue with HSV. HSV is present in skin cells rather than in fluids, at least primarily. 

HIV is present in the blood and can therefore be tamped down with the assistance of drugs that are suspended in the blood at all times. This combats the virus very directly but it does not defeat it. 

HSV isn't in a place where we can have a treatment ready to combat it all times. A functional cure could come at the same time as a normal cure, at this rate.

When that is?  Hard to say. 

I think a lot of us here who follow the medical research and wake up each morning to read the news (for herpes stuff) will be basing our expectations for time on what news Dr Keith Jerome has. 

Before that time comes, if I was to just give a hopeful guess I would say we are 3 years out from a functional or potential full cure. 

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by iFdUp

[MJRX]

7 hours ago, iFdUp said:

The method of transmission is the primary issue with HSV. HSV is present in skin cells rather than in fluids, at least primarily. 

HIV is present in the blood and can therefore be tamped down with the assistance of drugs that are suspended in the blood at all times. This combats the virus very directly but it does not defeat it. 

HSV isn't in a place where we can have a treatment ready to combat it all times. A functional cure could come at the same time as a normal cure, at this rate.

When that is?  Hard to say. 

I think a lot of us here who follow the medical research and wake up each morning to read the news (for herpes stuff) will be basing our expectations for time on what news Dr Keith Jerome has. 

Before that time comes, if I was to just give a hopeful guess I would say we are 3 years out from a functional or potential full cure. 

 

I think 3 years for a full cure would be a bit optimistic. But ofcourse it would be great if there is a full cure in 3 years.

I hope pritelivir will somehow work as a functional cure. Especially when you see the good feedback on amenamevir.

[iFdUp]

9 hours ago, MJRX said:

I think 3 years for a full cure would be a bit optimistic. But ofcourse it would be great if there is a full cure in 3 years.

I hope pritelivir will somehow work as a functional cure. Especially when you see the good feedback on amenamevir.

Its now or never for these methods that are going into trials at this moment. They don't have funding forever and if it isn't going to work then the company will pull the plug. 

Every attempt that we have seen has been better than the last. Especially as of late. With how close we have gotten already with multiple different approaches, one of these shots will be in target fairly soon. 

There are also changes being implemented and changes already implemented that accelerate the process for gene editing and vaccines.