African trial shows AIDS gel to be ineffective
Source: Agencies |
December 15, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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A GEL made by United States drug firm Endo Pharmaceuticals that was designed to prevent infection with the AIDS virus has proved ineffective in trials in Africa, Britain's Medical Research Council said yesterday.
A large international trial of the vaginal microbicide, Pro 2000, involving more than 9,000 women in four African countries, found no evidence it reduces the risk of HIV infection.
To date, no gel microbicide has been shown to be effective against HIV infection and this trial showed conclusively that PRO 2000 gel was of no added benefit, ending scientific speculation about its clinical importance, the MRC said.
"This result is disheartening, particularly in light of the results of a smaller trial sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health which suggested that PRO 2000 could reduce the risk of HIV infection by 30 per cent," said Sheena McCormack of the MRC, who led the trial.
"Nevertheless we know this is an important result and it shows clearly the need to undertake trials which are large enough to provide definitive evidence for whether or not a product works."
The MRC's trial was the largest international clinical trial to date into a preventative HIV gel.
It took place between September 2005 and September 2009, involved 9,385 women and was carried out by the Microbicides Development Programme, a not-for-profit partnership of 16 African and European research institutions.
The trial found that the risk of HIV infection in women who were given PRO 2000 gel was not significantly different than in women supplied with a placebo gel.
Jonathan Weber of the MDP said: "It is unfortunate that this microbicide is ineffective at preventing HIV infection but it's still vital for us as scientists to continue to look for new ways of preventing HIV," Weber said.
Almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
United Nations data has shown that globally some 33.4 million people were living with HIV in 2008 and there were 2 million AIDS-related deaths in the same year.
A large international trial of the vaginal microbicide, Pro 2000, involving more than 9,000 women in four African countries, found no evidence it reduces the risk of HIV infection.
To date, no gel microbicide has been shown to be effective against HIV infection and this trial showed conclusively that PRO 2000 gel was of no added benefit, ending scientific speculation about its clinical importance, the MRC said.
"This result is disheartening, particularly in light of the results of a smaller trial sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health which suggested that PRO 2000 could reduce the risk of HIV infection by 30 per cent," said Sheena McCormack of the MRC, who led the trial.
"Nevertheless we know this is an important result and it shows clearly the need to undertake trials which are large enough to provide definitive evidence for whether or not a product works."
The MRC's trial was the largest international clinical trial to date into a preventative HIV gel.
It took place between September 2005 and September 2009, involved 9,385 women and was carried out by the Microbicides Development Programme, a not-for-profit partnership of 16 African and European research institutions.
The trial found that the risk of HIV infection in women who were given PRO 2000 gel was not significantly different than in women supplied with a placebo gel.
Jonathan Weber of the MDP said: "It is unfortunate that this microbicide is ineffective at preventing HIV infection but it's still vital for us as scientists to continue to look for new ways of preventing HIV," Weber said.
Almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
United Nations data has shown that globally some 33.4 million people were living with HIV in 2008 and there were 2 million AIDS-related deaths in the same year.
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