Timothy Ray Brown, the first person to recover from HIV through a unique type of bone marrow transplant, died in California after a relapse of leukemia.
Brown, 54, was diagnosed with HIV while living in the German capital in 1995. In 2007, he became internationally known as the «Berlin Patient» after undergoing experimental and risky — but, in the man's case, successful treatment. It included the destruction of Brown's immune system and subsequent bone marrow transplantation with the CCR5 genetic mutation capable of resisting HIV.
Over the next 10 years, Brown continued to undergo tests, and although the virus did not return, the American had a relapse of leukemia last year. According to doctors, blood cancer has spread to his spine and brain.
We're deeply saddened by the death of Timothy Ray Brown, aka “The Berlin Patient”
Timothy's story keeps hopes alive for a cure one day for all those living with HIV
“I did not want to be the only person in the world cured of HIV; I wanted other HIV + patients to join my club ”pic.twitter.com/9l0WkvyX19
— 56 Dean Street (@ 56deanstreet) September 30, 2020
Brown has spent the last weeks at a hospice in his hometown of Palm Springs. His partner Tim Höffgen confirmed Timothy's death on social media.
“It is with great pain that I have to report that Timothy passed away this afternoon, surrounded by me and friends, after a five-month struggle with leukemia,” he wrote.
The American's unique case inspired a generation of doctors working with HIV patients, as well as hundreds of patients — giving hope that one day the virus will be defeated once and for all.
Sharon Levine, professor and HIV specialist at Australia's Doherty Institute, said Brown was «fighting hard to keep the search for a cure for HIV on the political and scientific agenda.»
“The scientific community hopes that one day we can honor his legacy with a safe, cost-effective and widely available strategy to create a cure for HIV,” she added.
