Early signs from a Benitec (ASX: BLT) pilot study using RNA interference (RNAi) for AIDS-related lymphoma have proved promising, a panel heard.

Dr John Zaia, chair of the virology division at Beckman Research Institute in California, told attendees at the 11th annual meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy that the gene treatment was proving to be effective so far.

Patients with AIDS-related lymphoma are being treated using vector-expressed RNAi, aimed at rendering the cells resistant to HIV infection.

Zaia presented data from 60 days of the study on the first two patients. Safe engraftment was seen at 10 days and gene markers are detectable.

According to Benitec, the initial results of this study indicate that if HIV+ patients undertake gene grafting shortly after infection, it could delay their need for antiviral chemotherapy, an invasive and exhausting treatment.