Early study
shows AIDS-fighting gel promising ATLANTA
– An experimental vaginal gel has shown some promise in
preventing infection
from the AIDS virus — the first study to
offer hope that a microbicide may soon join the
medical arsenal in the international battle against
HIV,
scientists announced Monday.
The results were not conclusive in this preliminary
study, but they were welcome news
considering the failure of other similar products.
The multi-country study suggests a gel made
by Massachusetts-based
Indevus Pharmaceuticals Inc. cut HIV
infection to a
slight degree, a
researcher said Monday at a
medical conference.
Scientists have been trying to develop gels and
other microbicides for women to use as
protection in parts of the world where their partners may refuse to
use condoms.
"This is the first study that now shows we have a
promising candidate," said Salim Abdool
Karim, the South African researcher who
presented the results.
About 3,100 women participated in the study, which
was designed mainly to test whether it
was safe. The women were divided into four
groups. One-quarter of them used the Indevus
gel, which is supposed to block the AIDS virus from attaching to certain
white blood cells.
Another quarter were put on a gel made by
Baltimore-based ReProtect Inc. The rest were
given a placebo gel, or no gel at all.
All the women were counseled to have their partners
use condoms. The study was done in
South Africa,
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the United States, and was funded by the
U.S. National Institutes of
Health.
Researchers found that women who used the Indevus-made
gel had a 30 percent lower rate
of HIV infection than the other women in the
study. But the difference was not statistically
significant, meaning the results could have occurred
by chance.
Health officials say larger studies are needed to
better assess effectiveness. Such a study of
the Indevus gel, involving 9,400 African
women, is to conclude in August.
The results were presented at a
medical conference on retroviruses in
Montreal.
Courtesy of
http://news.yahoo.com
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