The Hindu : New Delhi News : Pact signed on use of HIV treatment drug

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Monday, Mar 03, 2008
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Pact signed on use of HIV treatment drug

Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI: The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) has signed an agreement with pharmaceutical company Pfizer under which the pharma major will give IPM a royalty-free license to use maraviroc, its newly approved HIV treatment, as a microbicide for the prevention of HIV infection.

Maraviroc is one of a new class of antiretroviral drugs which works to prevent HIV infection by preventing the virus from gaining entry into target cells.

“The drug’s safety and efficacy data as a therapeutic will speed its development as a microbicide. This agreement adds a promising new compound to IPM’s pipeline allowing us to explore new ways to prevent infection,” Zeda Rosenberg, CEO of the IPM told The Hindu here on Wednesday.

Microbicides are products, such as gels, films and rings that could be applied vaginally to prevent transmission of HIV during vaginal intercourse. IPM is also developing other delivery methods such as long-last vaginal rings that release drug gradually over time.

Under this agreement, IPM would work to develop maraviroc as a vaginal microbicide with the right to develop, manufacture and distribute the microbicide in developing countries that would reduce the cost of the end product and make it accessible to women in the developing countries, Ms Rosenberg said.

Trials continue

Admitting that the first general of microbicides products did not seem to work well, Ms Rosengerg said the good news was that large scale efficacy trials for the second generation of microbicides were on, and if successful, would be available in the market in the next five years.

Results from the second IPM dapivirine ring study have shown that the reservoir vaginal ring was safe and well tolerated by women after seven days of use. IPM has finalised a protocol for a placebo vaginal ring safety and acceptability study to be conducted in Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. The study, initiated in early 2007, will include 200 female participants and will generate critical data on the needs and preference of women and their male partners, in preparation for the eventual introduction of and access to microbicides among user population.

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