Thrilling HIV Treatment Breakthrough Achieved At Rockefeller University!

N4U4D4YK1O5WRE2D — New York’s Rockefeller University.

Researchers at New York’s Rockefeller University are a step closer to developing an antibody treatment for HIV after an experimental therapy has significantly reduced the amount of virus in tested patients.

This is a tremendous breakthrough that could lead to new achievements and therapies that ultimately could significantly improve the treatment and care of patients with the HIV infection,” says Elie Hirschfeld of the Rockefeller University Council which increases awareness of the university innovative ideas and initiatives.

The trial, was the first to infuse humans with an antibody called 3BNC117, which can fight an incredible 80 percent of HIV strains.

The amount of HIV in the blood of eight of the patients given the antibody dropped 300 fold with zero side effects after nearly three months of receiving the therapy.

Though the tests are deemed a success, the researchers insist that the therapy will need to integrate other antibodies, or be incorporated with other drugs to keep HIV infections under control.

“The virus is very smart and after a certain amount of time it will develop resistance to single drugs, and to single antibodies too,” said Rockefeller’s Dr. Sarah Schlesinger, a senior author on the study. “The way around that is to use more than one, and whether we’ll need two or three different antibodies is something we are working to figure out now.”

But Dr. Schlesinger remains optimistic for the future of the breakthrough treatment possibilities.

The research also raises the possibility of the development of a vaccine against HIV that could stop the virus taking hold in patients.

“This is no small achievement and provides a great hope for people who suffer from this terrible affliction,” adds Hirschfeld.

Elie Hirschfeld Birthday Celebration — International singing sensation Neshama Carlebach serenades Elie Hirschfeld at the historic Harmonie Club at his 65th birthday celebration last Saturday evening. Photo: Courtesy of http://www.patrickmcmullan.com

New York leaders and luminaries paid tribute to one of the city’s favorite sons on Saturday night at Midtown’s historic Harmonie Club.

“It was heartwarming to be a part of a gathering that combined some of this city and the world’s most influential leaders in various fields, with close friends and family who have all meant so much to me throughout my life,” says the honoree, Elie Hirschfeld.

The iconic developer, athlete and patron of the arts has a New York imprint of iconic properties that have included Riverside South, The Grand Sutton, Park Avenue Court, The Hotel Pennsylvania and The Exchange Tower.

Among those gathered to celebrate Hirschfeld’s 65^th birthday were such historic figures as former New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams; founder and president of Bunkone.com, Ari Ackerman; former New York City Commissioner of Landmarks, Steve Byrns; Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane of MrBroadway.com; Thomas Huniford of Huniford Design; Thomas Sakmar, MD of the Rockefeller University; New York Times journalist Dan Shaw, and many others.

“All of these people have had an important influence on this city, our people and most personally, myself,” says Hirschfeld.

Family members at the event included Mr. Hirschfeld’s wife and celebrated physician, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger MD of the Rockefeller University, and his children, David Hirschfeld, Joshua Frankel, Zachary Frankel, and Joseph Frankel.

The all-star guest list was entertained by celebrated international performer and one of Mr. Hirschfeld’s “favorite performers,” Neshama Carlebach.

“My husband and his family have given so much in the development of modern New York,” says Dr. Schlesinger. “It was extremely gratifying to be a part of an event where so many other people who have made contributions of similar magnitude were gathered on his behalf. It was magical.”