Our research
Our research focuses on HIV Cure trials, HIV immunopathogenesis, and the identification of biomarkers associated with incomplete immune recovery or cure.
We also perform quality studies. We utilize prospectively collected biobank samples and clinical data from the HIV Quality Registry at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål.
To strengthen HIV research across institutions and disciplines, we established the Oslo HIV Research Network, bringing together researchers from the University of Oslo and OUH.
We contribute data to the Norwegian HIV Quality Registry (NORHIV) as well as to several international HIV cohort collaborations in EuroSIDA.
The group is also a partner in the European HIV cure consortium, EU2Cure.
Together with national and international collaborators, we have characterized immune responses and HIV reservoir dynamics in the “Oslo patient”, who is considered cured of HIV following allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.
The knowledge and methodologies developed through this work form the basis for ongoing and future local and European multicenter studies aimed at achieving long-term HIV remission and cure.
Current external pages
- NORHIV - Norsk kvalitetsregister for hiv - Nasjonalt Servicemiljø for Medisinske kvalitetsregistre (Norwegian)
- EuroSIDA
- EU2Cure consortium
Projects
We have several ongoing projects.
OUSHIVProbiot2 - Improving prognosis in HIV infection and Gut control of HIV infection
This phase II clinical intervention study focused on gut immunology, virus reservoirs and the role of the intestinal microbiota in HIV infection.
The project was based on the hypothesis that intestinal barrier dysfunction and microbial translocation contribute to poor immune reconstitution in INRs.
Patients classified as INRs received probiotic supplementation to investigate whether modulation of the gut microbiome could improve mucosal homeostasis, immune recovery, and overall prognosis.
In 2026, we completed a long-term follow-up study involving repeat intestinal biopsies obtained seven years after participation in the original clinical trial. The ongoing analyses provide a unique opportunity to investigate immunopathogenesis and viral reservoirs over time and the long-term effects of microbiome-targeted interventions in HIV infection.
Read morte at U.S. Library of Medicine - ClinicalTrials ID: NCT02640625.
TITAN - Combining a TLR9 agonist with broadly neutralizing antibodies for reservoir reduction and immunological control of HIV infection: An investigator-initiated randomized, placebo-controlled, phase IIa trial.
CIRG participated in the TITAN trial, an investigator-initiated clinical study led by Aarhus University Hospital evaluating novel strategies for HIV remission.
The study assessed the effects of a TLR9 agonist (lefitolimod) and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) on viral rebound following analytical treatment interruption.
By combining immune activation with potent antibody-mediated antiviral activity, the trial investigated whether HIV reservoirs could be reduced and post-treatment viral control enhanced. Our findings support the concept that broadly neutralizing antibodies may represent important components of future HIV cure strategies.
Read more at U.S. Library of Medicine - ClinicalTrials ID: NCT03837756.
Building on the TITAN experience, we are currently planning to participate in two follow-up studies together with Nordic collaborators:
- COAST, a follow-up of the TITAN study investigating antibody-based HIV remission strategies.
- IDUNN, a new clinical trial evaluating broadly neutralizing antibodies in people living with HIV.
Selected publications
- Long-term HIV-1 remission achieved through allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant from a CCR5delta32/delta32 sibling donor. Myhre AE, Meyer-Myklestad MH, Gullaksen HH, Søgaard OS, Tolstrup M, Salgado M, Martinez-Picado J, Holberg-Petersen M, Juhl AK, Schleimann MH, Gunst JD, Thomsen A, Fisher K, Bhamra JS, Kran AB, Halvorsen B, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Reikvam DH, Aukrust P, Gedde-Dahl T; Oslo HIV Cure Study Group; Dahl TB, Kaarbø M, Trøseid M. Nat Microbiol. 2026 May;11(5):1374-1386. doi: 10.1038/s41564-026-02304-8. Epub 2026 Apr 13.
- Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling reveal immune and metabolic dysregulation in the colonic mucosa of people living with HIV with incomplete immune recovery. Kaarbø M, Yang M, Meyer-Myklestad MH, Sundaram AYM, de Sousa MML, Sharma A, Medhus AW, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Kvale D, Hov JR, Aukrust P, Bjørås M, Reikvam DH.Front Immunol. 2025 Sep 17;16:1635523. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1635523. eCollection 2025.PMID: 41041301
- Vaccine responses and hybrid immunity in people living with HIV after SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections. Alirezaylavasani A, Skeie LG, Egner IM, Chopra A, Dahl TB, Prebensen C, Vaage JT, Halvorsen B, Lund-Johansen F, Tonby K, Reikvam DH, Stiksrud B, Holter JC, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Munthe LA, Kared H.NPJ Vaccines. 2024 Oct 9;9(1):185. doi: 10.1038/s41541-024-00972-3.
- Impact of a TLR9 agonist and broadly neutralizing antibodies on HIV-1 persistence: the randomized phase 2a TITAN trial. Gunst JD, Højen JF, Pahus MH, Rosás-Umbert M, Stiksrud B, McMahon JH, Denton PW, Nielsen H, Johansen IS, Benfield T, Leth S, Gerstoft J, Østergaard L, Schleimann MH, Olesen R, Støvring H, Vibholm L, Weis N, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Pedersen KBH, Lau JSY, Copertino DC Jr, Linden N, Huynh TT, Ramos V, Jones RB, Lewin SR, Tolstrup M, Rasmussen TA, Nussenzweig MC, Caskey M, Reikvam DH, Søgaard OS.Nat Med. 2023 Oct;29(10):2547-2558. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02547-6. Epub 2023 Sep 11.PMID: 37696935
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Immunological Nonresponders Have Colon-Restricted Gut Mucosal Immune Dysfunction. Meyer-Myklestad MH, Medhus AW, Lorvik KB, Seljeflot I, Hansen SH, Holm K, Stiksrud B, Trøseid M, Hov JR, Kvale D, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Kummen M, Reikvam DH. J Infect Dis. 2022 Feb 15;225(4):661-674. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa714. PMID: 33216130
- Probiotics to HIV-Infected Immunological Nonresponders: Altered Mucosal Immunity and Microbial Diversity Restricted to Ileum. Meyer-Myklestad MH, Medhus AW, Stiksrud B, Lorvik KB, Seljeflot I, Hansen SH, Holm K, Hov JR, Kvale D, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Kummen M, Trøseid M, Reikvam DH. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2022 Jan 1;89(1):77-86. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002817.
