Times Live Blog: Promising results in blocking HIV during first days of infection: M2010
February 2008
Up one levelAdvanced Trials of Microbicides to check AIDS in women fail
By Kounteya Sinha (The Times of India - New Delhi) 19 February 2008: In a fresh setback to the world's search for a microbicide, Carraguard, the vaginal cream designed to protect women from the AIDS virus and the first to make it through late-stage testing, has failed.
Microbicides conference begins
New Delhi (Tribune New Service) 25 February 2008: The four-day International Microbicides Conference to identify safe, effective and accessible microbicide began in the Capital yesterday.
Indevus Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on PRO 2000 Program
(Life Science-online.com) 15 February 2008: Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDEV) announced today that they have been advised by the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council (MRC) that after review of data from the Phase III clinical trial of PRO 2000, the Company's candidate vaginal microbicide for HIV prevention, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) has recommended that the low-dose arm (0.5%) continue to be tested for safety and effectiveness in the trial.
UPDATE 1-High dose of Indevus' HIV gel less promising: Review
Reporting by Jennifer Robin Raj in Bangalore (Reuters) 15 February 2008
Microbicide trials discontinued
By Irene Nabusoba and Catherine Mwesigwa (New Vision - Kampala) 15 February 2008: TESTS on a gel meant to protect women against HIV infection have been scaled down after one of the formulations was found to be ineffective. The gel, scientifically described as a vaginal microbicide and code-named PRO2000/5, has been on trial in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa.
Another HIV microbicide a bust
By Andrea Gawrylewski (The scientist.com/blog) 18 February 2008: Another microbicide to prevent HIV transmission has been deemed ineffective.
Carraguard microbicide safe but not effective (updated)
By Keith Alcorn (AIDSmap news) 18 February 2008: The microbicide Carraguard did not protect women against HIV infection in a major phase III study, the Population Council announced yesterday. Although safe, the product did not reduce the number of infections during the three year study compared with a gel containing placebo.
Anti-AIDS gel doesn't gel
London (Statesman Kolkata) 18 February 2008: The first anti-AIDS vaginal gel to make it through late-stage testing failed to stop HIV infection in a study of 6,000 South African women, disappointed researchers announced today
Another setback for microbicide research
JOHANNESBURG (PlusNews) 18 February 2008: The first microbicide candidate to reach the final phase of testing has failed to prevent HIV transmission, researchers announced on Monday.
Vaginal Gel to Prevent Infection Proved Ineffective
Edited by Rezaa Kasu (SABCnews.com) 18 February 2008: A top HIV/Aids researcher has called for a radical rethink on ways to prevent the disease, after a vaginal gel to prevent infection proved ineffective.
Microbicide Study Sabotaged By Low Use
By Anna Boyd (EfluxMedia) 18 February 2008: An African study on the effectiveness of an anti-AIDS gel for women, that initially appeared to be promising, did not prevent infection; disappointed researchers suspect it is because the study participants did not follow instructions and failed to use it as frequently as they were supposed to.
Anti-HIV medication fails test in Africa
By Tom Paulson (Seattle Post Intelligencer) 18 February 2008: A highly anticipated international study of an anti-HIV microbicide, involving more than 6,200 women in South Africa and funded in part by $20 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has failed to demonstrate it can protect women from the AIDS virus.
Fresh blow to AIDS microbicide as trials show gel is ineffective
JOHANNESBURG (Agence France-Presse) 18 February 2008
Anti-HIV gel for women fails in African trial
By Sabin Russell (SF Chronicle Medical Writer) 18 February 2008: An experimental gel meant to protect women against HIV failed to do so in a large-scale trial in Africa, the latest in a string of setbacks in testing new ways to stem the spread of AIDS.
Cream to prevent HIV safe, but not effective-study
By Maggie Fox with editing by Todd Eastham (REUTERS - WASHINGTON) 18 February 2008: A cream designed to protect women from the AIDS virus did not prevent infection, but it was safe, raising hopes that it might be combined with drugs or other compounds to work better, researchers said on Monday.
Anti-HIV gel well tolerated by women
Birmingham, Alabama (UPI.com) 27 February 2008: A U.S. study of women with the human immunodeficiency virus found an experimental gel, which keeps HIV from replicating, is safe for daily use.
HIV Prevention: Tenofovir Gel Safe For Daily Use By Women, New Study Suggests
(Science Daily) 26 February 2008: A vaginal microbicide that incorporates an antiretroviral (ARV) drug normally used to treat people with HIV is safe for sexually active HIV-negative women to use every day over an extended period, suggest results of a clinical trial of tenofovir topical gel.
Cream to prevent transmission of AIDS virus
By Priyanka Bhattacharya (NDTV.com - New Delhi) 28 February 2008: It is being touted as the biggest hope against HIV/AIDS, a cream that if applied by a woman, could prevent the transmission of the deadly virus known as microbicides. It is critical for countries like India and Africa where women don't have the right or opportunity to refuse sex or demand a condom.
STATEMENT: Inaugural Omololu Falobi Awards for Excellence in HIV Prevention
New Delhi, India (Release by AMAG, AVAC, GCM, JAAIDS, NHVMAG, TAM) 24 February 2008: 'Awards Presented at the International Microbicide 2008 Conference Recognize Exceptional Community Advocacy and International Leadership as Critical in Advancing Microbicides Research'
Microbicides, new arsenals to battle AIDS
By Shanchita Sharma (Hindustan Times - New Delhi) 26 February 2008: Microbicide gels that use anti-retroviral medicines to prevent HIV infection are the newest arsenals in the global battle against AIDS.
Study: Gel Fails to Stop HIV Infection
By Marilynn Marchione (Associated Press) 19 February 2008: The first anti-AIDS vaginal gel to make it through late-stage testing failed to stop HIV infection in a study of 6,000 South African women, disappointed researchers announced Monday.
Anti HIV Gel for Women Disappoints
By Tamar Kahn (Business Day - Cape Town) 18 February 2008: The Carraguard microbicide trial, a large study involving more than 6000 South African women, has found that the seaweed-based vaginal gel is safe but does little to protect against HIV.