Researchers Look to Vaginal Applications With Tenofovir as HIV Prevention

May 25, 2010

Researchers Look to Vaginal Applications With Tenofovir as HIV Prevention

Vaginal creams to prevent HIV so far have been ineffective, but vaginal gels, films and contraceptive-style rings all made with an antiretroviral medication may yet work, the Associated Press reports.

According to the article, the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has completed a trial of 900 HIV-negative women in South Africa to test whether a vaginal gel made with tenofovir lowered their risk of infection when applied within 12 hours before and again 12 hours after intercourse.

Trial results will be released in July. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) isn’t waiting. Researchers funded by the NIH are recruiting up to 5,000 HIV-negative women in Africa to use either vaginal tenofovir gel daily or daily pills containing the drug. It will be the first comparison of the two strategies.

Researchers are also developing other potential tenofovir methods, including a quick-dissolve tenofovir vaginal film, a rectal tenofovir gel and vaginal rings that would release the med for an entire month.

Search: Tenofovir, vaginal, antiretroviral, medication, South Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal