Pharmaceutical giant Glaxo Wellcome may have given the battle on AIDS a little lift Monday. A recent study indicated that a drug known as 3TC, when used in conjunction with the traditional AIDS drug AZT, appears to boost the immune system of sick patients.

The drug also lowers blood levels of the virus which causes AIDS. By blocking protein production considered vital for the early replication of HIV, the therapy slows progression of the illness.

This is the first therapy that is used in combination with AZT, and has shown great promise in that it’s been consistently associated with greater and more sustained response.

Accordingly, Glaxo Wellcome has solicited Food and Drug Administration approval for aggressive therapy procedures using 3TC. While FDA advisers agreed with researchers that the results of the study showed promise, they stopped short of granting the drug an immediate blessing.

Proponents, researchers and activists are cautiously optimistic, as some further testing is required, but they nonetheless acknowledge that some progress is occurring in the fight against AIDS.

Hopefully, the drug will turn out to be as promising as it sounds, and give a glimmer of hope to a wishfully brighter future.