New AIDS attack, it mutates itself to death:

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2010/08/20/u.m.researchers.identify.2.fda.approved.drugs.may.fight.hiv

Interesting new approach, it causes the virus to mutate to extinction. Like a virus on the virus!

I hope for the sake of those millions with this dreaded disease this is the one that works. It is also using two FDA approved drugs so there won't be a long involved process of approval, much shorter time to market and much cheaper.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Interesting new approach, it causes the virus to mutate to extinction. Like a virus on the virus!

My first thought was we might create a new much worse virus, but I now realize that that is not likely. HIV already mutates at a high rate and this wont really increase the likelihood of worse strains appearing.

Since two already approved drugs are used, I don't really see why they haven't already tested it in humans.

Originally posted by twhitehead
My first thought was we might create a new much worse virus, but I now realize that that is not likely. HIV already mutates at a high rate and this wont really increase the likelihood of worse strains appearing.

Since two already approved drugs are used, I don't really see why they haven't already tested it in humans.

It looks like they just figured this one out. There are millions of two drug combinations!

Originally posted by sonhouse
It looks like they just figured this one out. There are millions of two drug combinations!

Yes but they seem to still have to do trials on animals. Are the drugs approved but known to be harmful, or is there a risk of interaction? Why can't they go ahead and try them out on AIDS patients?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Yes but they seem to still have to do trials on animals. Are the drugs approved but known to be harmful, or is there a risk of interaction? Why can't they go ahead and try them out on AIDS patients?

I'm sure they will soon. What do the patients have to lose? If I had Aids and heard about this treatment, I would be knocking down their door for sure! It has already been way tested on humans, the only thing to do now is find out if they interact in a bad way at the dosage needed to kill the buggers.

This would make a great backstory for a superhero.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
This would make a great backstory for a superhero.

Like in, intrepid hero finds these drugs, dumps 1 million gallons of them into the water supplies of various cities, curing aids around the planet?

Originally posted by sonhouse
Like in, intrepid hero finds these drugs, dumps 1 million gallons of them into the water supplies of various cities, curing aids around the planet?

No, he gets superpowers via supermutating HIV virus. I mean if a radioactive spider can do it...

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
No, he gets superpowers via supermutating HIV virus. I mean if a radioactive spider can do it...

Ah, the old 'science experiment goes right for once' theme

Originally posted by sonhouse
Ah, the old 'science experiment goes right for once' theme

Science experiments creating superheros (usually by accident) is a very common theme.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Science experiments creating superheros (usually by accident) is a very common theme.

Gee, what was that one or two that was just made a few years ago