A study published in Nature Communications reports a potent way of flushing the hidden HIV from its hideout, powered by mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)—the same technology behind COVID-19 vaccines and emerging gene therapies.

The researchers developed a novel LNP system that can deliver mRNA (messenger RNA) to the difficult-to-target resting CD4⁺ T cells (helper cells) and trigger the virus’s genes to start producing proteins. This strategy enables the immune system or the virus itself to recognize and eliminate the infected cells.

HIV targets and destroys these CD4⁺ T cells—key players in the immune response—weakening the body’s ability to fight infections and certain cancers. Antiretroviral therapy (ART), a widely adopted treatment for HIV, involves taking a combination of HIV medicines on a regular schedule