Two major pharmaceutical companies are partnering with an international AIDS prevention organization to develop a gel or foam to help women avoid HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS.
Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb are granting the International Association of Microbicides the rights to produce certain compounds aimed at preventing HIV before it enters human tissue.
AIDS prevention organizations are particularly concerned about the impact of HIV on women, as women are more susceptible to HIV infection than men. This is partly due to biological factors and partly because women often have less control over their sexual practices.
An effective microbicide in the form of a gel or foam applied vaginally before intercourse could help prevent HIV infection, even in the absence of condom use.
These compounds, which are currently being announced to the International Association of Microbicides, target the structures that the AIDS virus uses to invade human cells.
The announcement of these compounds in the early stages of research is welcomed by the Association, as it will help expedite testing and demonstrate their efficacy.
These compounds are relatively easy to produce, leading to hopes that they will be manufactured at a low cost worldwide.
The International Association of Microbicides aims to set a price of one cent per use. In the long run, vaccines are still considered the primary method of combating AIDS.
However, vaccines are challenging to develop, and microbicides are now viewed as a key weapon in the fight against the disease transmission cycle.
