Patent ID: 6905680

Claim:
A method for inducing ex vivo proliferation of a population of T cells from an HIV-infected subject to sufficient numbers for use in therapy, comprising contacting a population of T cells ex vivo with a surface having attached thereto: an anti-CD3 antibody or CD3-binding fragment thereof, which stimulates a TCR/CD3 complex-associated signal in T cells, and an anti-CD28 antibody or CD28-binding fragment thereof, which stimulates a CD28-sssociated signal in T cells; wherein the anti-CD3 antibody or CD3-binding fragment thereof, and the anli-CD28 antibody or CD28-binding fragment thereof, are attached on the same surface, the anti-CD3 antibody or CD3-binding fragment thereof and the anti-CD28 antibody or CD28-binding fragment thereof thereby, inducing the T cells to proliferate to sufficient numbers for use in therapy; and whereby the CD28 stimulation by the anti-CD28 antibody or CD28-binding fragment thereof provides a proliferative advantage for HIV-uninfected CD4 + T cells over HIV-infected CD4 + T cells and a protective effect against HIV infection for uninfected CD4 + T cells.