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'Molecular condom' to combat HIV
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A "molecular condom" to protect women against HIV is
being developed by US scientists. The liquid
formulated by a University of Utah team turns into a
gel-like coating when inserted into the vagina.
Then, when exposed to semen, it returns to liquid form
and releases an anti-viral drug to attack HIV.
However, the technology, featured in the Journal of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, is still around five years
away from being tested in humans.
And the researchers predict it will be around 10 years
before it might be in widespread use.
Researcher Dr Patrick Kiser said: "The ultimate hope
for this technology is to protect women and their
unborn or nursing children from the AIDS virus."
The Utah project is part of a worldwide research
effort to develop "microbicides" - drug-delivery
systems such as gels, rings, sponges or creams to
prevent infection by HIV and other sexually
transmitted diseases.
They are seen as a way for women to gain power by
protecting themselves from HIV, particularly in
impoverished nations where Aids is widespread, where
rape is rampant, or, where conventional condoms are
taboo, not reliably available or where men resist
using them.
Short-term effect
First-generation microbicides now being tested are
expected to be available within four years and to be
50-60% effective.
However, Dr Kiser said they lasted only for a short
time, meaning they had to be used shortly before sex.
The potential advantage of his technology is that it
would be much longer lasting.
"We're shooting for a microbicide delivery system that
would be used once a day or once a month," he said.
Tests have already shown that their 'hydrogel' is
unlikely to cause significant side effects, or
discomfort.
It is designed not to dehydrate vaginal cells, which
can trigger infections, and not to be diluted by other
fluids.
The next stage will be to see whether anti-viral drugs
incorporated into the hydrogel can be released with
the same efficiency as in the lab.
Indeed the researchers are hopeful that because the
gel would be much thinner inside a woman than it was
in the lab tests, the release of drugs should be even
more effective.
High hopes
Yusef Azad, of the National Aids Trust, said:
"Millions of women currently have little control over
their sexual health and microbicides could put the
power of preventing HIV into women's hands.
"It is vitally important that sufficient funding is
channelled into the development of effective
microbicides so that women have a range of options of
products such as gels, liquids and creams that could
provide a barrier to contracting HIV during sex."
Roger Pebody, treatment specialist for the HIV charity
Terrence Higgins Trust said microbicides were one of
the biggest hopes for preventing new HIV infections in
the near future.
He said: "This is one of many projects that are in the
early stages of development, however other
microbicides could be as little as five years away."
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