Cellulose cellulose microbicide stopped testing

stopped the phase III study of the candidate microbicide, cellulose sulphate, to prevent HIV transmission in women, because the trial group had a higher number of HIV infections than the placebo groupTHE STUDY WAS INITIATED BY THE


, AND WAS CONDUCTED IN BENIN
,
INDIA
,
SOUTH AFRICA AND UGANDAConcerns about the safety of the trial have led to the discontinuation of another international study on the same product launched by the InternationalHealthin NigeriaThis is a disappointing and unforeseen setback in the search for safe and effective microbicides for women to protect themselves from HIV infectionCellulose sulfate is one of four compounds being evaluated in a large-scale study on the effectiveness of women at high risk of HIV infectionThree other microbicide III studies are currently under wayThe researchon Carraguard(launched by the Population Council at three sites in South Africa) is nearing completion and is expected to produce results by the end of2007Another product, PRO2
000, is being tested in a study in five locations in
South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda
is expected to produce results in 2
009), and in another study in seven locations in
Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe is expected to produce results in 2008) In the latter study
another compound, BufferGel , a vaginal resistance enhancer, was being tested All other compounds mentioned are products that block HIV infection - called HIV invasion inhibitors, and have the same speculative mechanism Data from these clinical trials will be essential for researchers and developers of emerging and future antimicrobial candidates It is important that workers in the field of desmotic agents should understand why cellulose sulfate has a higher risk of HIV infection than placebos The current , cannot explain the high rate of HIV transmission There is an urgent need to continue research find user-controlled means of preventing HIV infection among women Although condoms are effective and readily available, the HIV epidemic continues to spread, so the search for a safe and effective microbicide is a key part of efforts to curb the spread of the HIV epidemic (reprinted from the "Ministry of Health Government Website")