Cytheris, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of therapies for immune modulation, has announced publication of data showing IL-7 is able to overcome factors that thwart an effective immune response during chronic viremia in diseases such as HIV infection and viral hepatitis.

The results also suggest in reduced viral load established by current treatments for chronic viral diseases, IL-7 therapy might produce and expand specific T-cells and promote a broad and durable immune mediated antiviral response.

The study utilized the murine model of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, an in vivo system for studying protective cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses involving the variant clone-13. The model has a chronic infection and a high viral turnover in mice; it mimics the viral antigen seen levels in HIV, HCV and HBV. Clone-13 infection has been powerful to characterize the dysfunctional immune response associated with chronic viremia, and numerous parallels with HIV, HCV and HBV.  The study elucidates the molecular mechanisms in which IL-7 is able to overcome the immune inhibitory effects of massive viral load.