A team of researchers from Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University claim that the cure for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is just three years away.

In a study published in Narure journal, the scientists have discovered a method to cut the viral DNA from a person’s infected cells and stop the disease from returning. The method is called CRISPR/Cas9 and it claims that a person could be virus-free.

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It involves targeting the genetic code of HIV which inserts into cells. Then, they will take the Cas9 protein and alter it so it can recognize viral code. The patient’s blood is then taken and scientists would inject Cas9, which would then look for out the HIV virus in the cells. The protein then releases and enzyme and snips out the virus. The scientists are confident that the virus would be cured if just 20 percent of the immune cells are replaced with the genetically altered cells.

Lead researcher and Professor Kamel Khalili, Ph.D at the Department of Neuroscience at Temple University said that the discovery he and his team made is an essential and huge step towards ending the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

“Elimination of the virus can lead to the cure. It's an exciting time, and the reason is the technologies are available and the methods are in place and our knowledge has increased,” he added.

Currently, the team has only managed to eradicate the virus in the lab and the results have shown that they can keep HIV away for good. Presently, most drugs that treat the virus, antiretroviral therapy, show a rapid rebound in HIV replication. However, it was proven that it weakens the immune system and can eventually lead to AIDS.

The team added that more tests have to be done to know if it will be a cure for the millions of patients infected with the HIV virus, which causes AIDS. The professor said that he hopes human tests could begin in two to three years but it will depend on funding.

HIV/AIDS was first discovered in the early 1980s, claiming around 39 million lives and 78 million people infected according to World Health Organization (WHO). At the end of 2013, WHO reported that 35 million people worldwide were living with HIV.

TagsHIV, AIDS, HIV Cure three years away, WHO, epidemic