Abstract Body

Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is highly successful in suppressing viral replication and preventing disease progression; however it cannot eradicate HIV-1 infection. ART is also effective in preventing infection from sexual exposure, but efficacy is highly dependent on adherence to the regimen. Therefore, efforts to develop novel preventive and therapeutic interventions with a longer duration of action and to identify strategies that can eradicate or induce treatment-free long-term HIV-1 remission remain critical. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) may represent an alternative strategy to combat HIV-1 infection. Monoclonal antibodies, which are made in the laboratory but based upon natural human antibodies with high potency, are considered to be promising candidates for safe, long-acting agents for prevention or therapy. Importantly, bNAbs differ from ART in that they can recruit immune effector functions through their Fc domains to accelerate clearance of viruses and infected cells. In addition, immune complexes are potent immunogens that can foster development of host immune responses. These unique characteristics place bNAbs as promising candidates for HIV cure or remission strategies. In the past decade, a number of HIV-1 bNAbs have been developed and are undergoing clinical evaluation. We will discuss results from both preclinical and clinical studies of anti–HIV-1 bNAbs and their potential role in HIV prevention, therapy, and cure strategies.