Scientists have discovered two powerful new antibodies that neutralized all major forms of the HIV virus from the body of an African man. Scientists associated with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) at the Scripps Research Institute in the US said these antibodies had revealed an Achilles heel on the virus. This major discovery, reported in the journal Science, also found that these antibodies target a stable portion of the virus that does not frequently mutate a defense mechanism.

A research conducted by the University of Texas Medical School has discovered some antibodies that have the potential to prevent an HIV-positive person from progressing to AIDS. This study could be used to develop a vaccine or microbicides to prevent people who are not infected with HIV from getting in contact with it. Catalytic antibodies attack on HIV’s outer shell where the virus binds to immune system cells, preventing the entry of virus into the cells. According to the researchers, the antibodies are present in lupus patients whose immune systems, generally, malfunction and produce a number of unusual antibodies.