International Trial of Two Microbicides Begins

A large, multisite trial designed to examine the safety and preliminary effectiveness of two candidate topical microbicides to prevent HIV infection has opened to volunteer enrollment.

The trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, represents a partnership among various research institutions in Africa and the U.S. Although no licensed microbicides are available to the public currently, scientists hope these agents -- designed to be applied to the surface of the vagina to prevent sexually transmitted infections -- will one day be a key tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The first volunteers recently were enrolled at sites in Durban, South Africa, and at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Enrollment will begin shortly at sites in four additional African countries -- Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Approximately 3,220 women will be enrolled in the trial, which is expected to last approximately 30 months.