Subdominant Gag-specific anti-HIV efficacy in an HLA-B∗57-positive elite controller

Despite the discovery of HIV over three decades ago, the 2008 ‘Berlin patient’ is the only case of sustained HIV remission. Other cases of apparent ‘cure’ eventually relapsed [1] and although early antiretroviral therapy (ART) has recently gained traction as a factor contributing to remission [2,3], most cases are likely to relapse [4]. In contrast, relapse in ‘elite controllers’ of HIV infection is less common. These are ART-naive individuals who spontaneously suppress viremia to undetectable levels. Approximately 40% of elite controllers express HLA-B∗57 [5], an example being the original 1999 ‘Berlin patient’, in whom virologic control has been maintained for >15 years to date [6].