Many chemical agents can block human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the laboratory. Scientists are investigating which of these, used intravaginally by women, will safely prevent the sexual transmission of HIV in humans. Several such products - microbicides - will soon be tested in populations at high risk for HIV, and others are waiting in the wings. Microbicides will provide a low-cost method, controlled by women, for protection against HIV, other sexually transmitted pathogens and unwanted pregnancy, and will therefore have global public-health benefits.
D2S and PRO-2000, novel inhibitors of HIV entry, showed evidence of protection in vivo, comparable to that seen with the virucide, N9. These data, together with the results of phase I and phase II studies in healthy women which have shown minimal toxicity, support plans for a phase III efficacy trial of chemically simple inhibitors of HIV entry with low toxicity, for the prevention of HIV infection in women.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.