Microbicide research gets boost
The British government has given three South African organisations and researchers from five countries a multi-million rand grant to develop vaginal microbicides (a gel that can be used to prevent HIV transmission) over a five-year period.
The R272-million grant has been awarded to the Medical Research Council, the Africa Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Wits University, and a group of international research collaborators in the UK, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and Zambia.
The MRC’s Dr Gita Ramjee, says: “An effective microbicide – probably in a gel, foam sponge or a pessary – would be capable of blocking HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Used prior to intercourse to block the development of infection in the vagina and cervix, it would significantly lower risk of HIV infection and be an important addition to efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.”
According to Ramjee, a microbicide “would offer women more choice and control, especially in situations where men do not, or will not use condoms. Microbicides are also likely to be cheap to produce and therefore affordable for women in poor countries.”
Two microbiocides, Dextrin sulphate and PRO 2000, are already in the process of being tested. PRO 2000 gel has received approval for clinical trials in the UK, USA and South Africa by the Food and Drug Administration in the US, and Dextrin sulphate has received approval by the Medicines Control Agency in the UK. – Health-e News Service.
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