Current HIV antiretroviral therapies potently suppress virus replication and prevent patients from progressing to AIDS but are unable to completely eliminate HIV due to the existence of dormant viral reservoirs which threaten to remerge at any time. Recently, genome-editing technologies that can recognize specific DNA sequences, including viral DNA, are being touted as promising tools for curing HIV, owing to their specificity, ease of use, and ability to be custom designed.
Persistent HIV infection causes a gradual loss of CD4+ T lymphocytes and leads to immunodeficiency syndrome approximately 8 years post infection in untreated patients. However, the advent of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HARRT) has turned HIV infection from a death sentence into a controlled chronic condition. Anti-HIV drugs targeting viral enzymes, such as the reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase, inhibit different stages of the virus life cycle. In addition, maraviroc binds to the HIV co-receptor CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and disrupts the membrane fusion between the virus and the cell. Consequently, while combinations of HAART have succeeded in controlling HIV disease progression, they are not considered a cure for HIV infection.