Dr Bloom sent an email to HC Member (Frizzle)
Hi ---------
Thank you for your email. Sorry for my delay in getting back to you but I have been traveling. The answers to your questions are below:
1. What progress has your team currently made in locating a cure for HSV?
I use the term "cure" carefully. I think eliminating HSV from the body is a very difficult goal. Our aim is to generate a more effective meams of suppressing the virus so that it will not reactivate and coause clinical disease. To that end we have recently demonstrated that our anti-HSV ribozymes are effective at blocking replication and reactivation of HSV-1 when applied topically.
2. Do you believe it is possible to not only cure HSV1 but also HSV2?
Yes. Based on our success with HSV-1 we are currently testing anti-HSV-2 ribozymes for their effectiveness at blocking HSV-2 reactivation.
3. What obstacles do you and your team face in conducting further research?
The toughest issue we face is obtaining funding for the remaining pre-clincal tests of our ribozymes. These tests are a pre-requisite for gaining approval to conduct human clinical trails.
4. By when do you believe a cure can be marketed?
If our current research is successful and goes as planned I would estimate it would be 4 - 5 years before a product would hit the market.
5. How can a person donate to your cause in searching for a HSV cure?
Donations for our research can be made to the folllowing acccounts:
For HSV-1 ribozyme therapy:
http://www.uff.ufl.edu/OnlineGiving/...undCode=016081
For HSV-2 ribozyme therapy:
http://www.uff.ufl.edu/OnlineGiving/...undCode=016087
If you need any additional info, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Best wishes,
Dave
David C. Bloom, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, FL. 32610-0266
Tel: 352-392-8520
Fax: 352-273-8905