The Wistar Institute has announced that it has received a five-year, $17 million research award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the iCure Consortium, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to developing individualized cure regimens for HIV. The consortium’s mission is to advance personalized medicine strategies that move beyond treatment management toward a functional cure for the virus.
According to Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M., D.Phil., principal investigator of iCure and executive vice president of The Wistar Institute, nearly 38 million people worldwide are living with HIV, with 1.3 million new infections each year. He explained that the program will, for the first time, bring together leading experts to design participant-specific cures by leveraging breakthroughs in neutralizing antibodies and cell therapies tailored to each person’s unique viral characteristics.
The iCure approach focuses on eliminating the viral reservoir that persists after antiretroviral therapy, aiming to achieve long-lasting, drug-free remission. Its strategy combines six advanced methods: neutralizing antibodies, mRNA therapy, viral binders, engineered CAR-T cells, “Natural Killer” (NK) cells, and precision latency-reversing drugs. Each component is personalized to match the patient’s distinct viral profile.
Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D., Nobel Laureate and co-principal investigator of iCure, emphasized that ending HIV requires eradication, not just management. He noted that the initiative allows researchers to apply recent advances in RNA therapy as part of a cure-focused framework.
The process begins by reactivating hidden virus in blood samples to identify mutations that evade natural immune responses. Tailored antibody cocktails are then developed against these mutations. To prevent relapse, researchers create personalized antibodies or molecular binders that act as homing devices, guiding immune cells to the virus. These homing signals are incorporated into genetically engineered CAR-T and NK cells to destroy infected cells more effectively. NK cells are further enhanced into adaptive, longer-lasting virus killers, with bispecific drugs deployed to strengthen their targeting capacity.
Montaner explained that iCure is built on years of research into how HIV evades the immune system. By applying this knowledge, the consortium seeks to pioneer a first-of-its-kind targeting approach designed to each individual’s unique HIV features. The program builds on the foundation of the BEAT-HIV Martin Delaney Collaboratory, a major Philadelphia-based research network co-led by Montaner that unites over 95 experts in HIV research.
Calling the NIH award a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Montaner highlighted Wistar’s leadership role and strong ties with the HIV community as key factors behind this milestone. He expressed optimism that by the end of the study, researchers will have developed a process to identify and target the virus in each individual and lay the groundwork for clinical trials using the most promising strategies.
The iCure Consortium involves a network of leading institutions, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia FIGHT, the Ragon Institute at Harvard University, George Washington University, Duke University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Funding comes from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH, under award number UM1AI191272.
