Intravaginal Ring Offers Protection from AIDS-like Virus

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports on a new medical device that was found to protect female monkeys from an AIDS-like virus. Known as NuvaRing, the device is a vaginal ring that contains an anti-retroviral drug which has so far shown to protect 100 percent of female monkeys from becoming infected with a non-human primate version of HIV.

The researchers revealed that the device contains tenofovir, which has shown to protect humans against HIV infection, and while it is available in a pill form, remembering to take it daily could be problematic.

The researchers are optimistic that the device can also protect women from HIV infection and added that they will be conducting human trials among a group of 60 women starting in November. “After 10 years of work, we have created an intravaginal ring that can prevent against multiple HIV exposures over an extended period of time, with consistent prevention levels throughout the menstrual cycle”, Patrick Kiser, from Northwestern's school of biomedical engineering, said.


Source-Medindia