Microbicide trials set to begin
An AIDS vaccine is one experimental approach to preventing HIV infection; a microbicide is another. A microbicide is a topical cream, gel, ointment or suppository that could be used vaginally or rectally to protect against sexual transmission of HIV. No effective preventive microbicides that protect against HIV have been developed yet - like AIDS vaccines, all microbicide candidates are still in various stages of experimental evaluation. By the end of 2005, as many as five large-scale trials of six microbicide candidates could be under way (see below). To learn more about microbicides see this month’s Spotlight.
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Planned or ongoing microbicide efficacy trials: 2004-2005 |
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| Product (class) | Primary research group | Proposed start date | Sites and sample size |
| BufferGel (acid buffer)
PRO 2000 0.5% (polyanion) |
HIV Prevention Trials Network | September 2004 | 3,100 women at 8 sites (Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, India, USA) |
| Cellulose sulfate (polyanion) | Global Microbicide Project | Q4 2004 | 2,574 women at 6 sites (Benin, Burkina Faso, Kenya, India, South Africa) |
| Cellulose sulfate (polyanion) | Family Health International and Global Microbicide Project | June 2004 | 2,160 women at 2 sites in Nigeria |
| Carraguard (polyanion) | Population Council | March 2004 | 6,300 women in South Africa |
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PRO 2000 2% (polyanion) Dextrin-2-sulfate (polyanion) |
UK Microbicides Development Programme | Q1 2005 | ~12,300 women in Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda |
| SAVVY (surfactant) | Family Health International | March 2004 | 2,142 women, 2 studies combined (Nigeria, Ghana) |