Commentary of Peter Schick, Chairman of the Board of the Peter Schick Foundation

Commentary of Peter Schick, Chairman of the Board of the Peter Schick Foundation

I have been involved in this foundation for over 7 years. I have witnessed many claims for the eradication of the HIV virus. But until now, I have only seen antiretroviral drugs, immunotherapy, aborted vaccine trials both preventative and therapeutic. All of these have failed because until recently there has been a lack of knowledge of the pathogenesis of HIV infection. Now there is coming a new era of understanding what has to be done based on basic research. I believe, HIV infection will be solved by a biomedical solution.

The HIV virus,results in an infection which leads to immune dysfunction through CD 4+ T-cell depletion. The total CD 4 pool is involved and perhaps 60-70% of the CD 4 + pool lies in the GI tract, or gut. CD 4% is the best marker of CD 4+ depletion. The result of this virus entry into the body through microbial translocation is a severe immune activation. This can be measured in serveral ways. Without complex testing the best marker of the activation is the CD 38 cell surface marker. Immune activation in HIV infection includes 2 components. (1) the homeostatic response to CD 4+ depletions and an inflammatory component to the process which leads to the increased risk of morbidity and mortality from a variety of non opportunistic serious conditions. It has become increasing clear that inflammation contributes to this increased risk. Good markers of this inflammation are C-reactive protein, and D-dimer. Patients with higher levels of these markers do worse.

What might be the solution to the HIV problem. Certainly antiretroviral drugs to eliminate as much of the virus as possible, and slow down the immune activation. But studies have shown, that antiretroviral drugs will not stop the immune activation even with undetectable levels of the virus. So there must be something else to add or change if one hopes to eradicate the virus. It could be a type of gene therapy, or it could be a supplement, something added to the antiretroviral treatment, that focuses on diminishing the immune activation and the inflammation. We are studying a supplement that in pilot studies does just that. It slows down the immune activation and the inflammation caused by HIV.

That supplement is Blue green algae, or one of its family of algae, Spirulina. In a pilot study, Blue green algae, in a patient has caused the CD 4%, a very good marker of CD 4 pool together with an ARV, to rise from 25% to 35%, highly significant. An extract of Spirulina, has been found to kill 50% of HIV infected T cells in culture, the largest reservoir of HIV infection. We have received FDA approval thru a pre-IND application to study patients suppressed with antiretroviral treatment taking also the oral supplement Bue green algae, a bone marrow stem cell stimulator and antinflammatory agent acting thru suppressing the cytokine system. We are also planning on applying for an IND# for Spirulina, an extract of this kills in tissue culture 50% of HIV infected T cells. These clinical trials could open up the clinical trial field, a field that has been dormant in my mind for some time.

If you want to participate in this ground breaking, cutting edge research, you can learn more about our approach by viewing our web sites, http://www.schickfoundation.org/ or http://www.schickresearch.com/. While you are reading and if you are interested in being part of the solution, then donate on line to these ground breaking studies, or contribute to our foundation headquarters at The Peter Schick Foundation, 1223 Wilshire Blvd #1007, Santa Monica California 90203. Its time a solution is found, and the virus is eradicated.