HIV flushed out by cancer drug

HIV can be flushed out of its hiding places in the body using a cancer drug, researchers show. The cornerstone of treatment, anti-retroviral therapy, kills the virus in the bloodstream but leaves HIV reservoirs untouched.

The study, published in PLoS Pathogens, showed the drug was highly potent at reactivating hidden HIV. Experts said the findings were interesting, but it was important to know if the drug was safe in patients.

A strategy known as kick and kill is thought to be key to curing HIV - the kick would wake up the dormant HIV allowing the drugs to kill it.