Gene therapy in the fight against AIDS

This review summarises the patent and primary literature relating to gene therapy for HIV infection over the last year and comments on treatments under pre-clinical evaluation or in Phase I and II clinical trials. There is relatively little activity as yet in the clinical trial arena and there have been few major innovations in gene therapy approaches over this period. Hanging over this field, as in other areas of gene therapy, is the controversy over patenting of ex vivo gene therapy and doubts regarding the utility of certain vectors such as adeno-associated virus (AAV).