NRI Researchers of Weill Cornell, Developed New HIV Contraceptive Device
Dr. Brij Saxena, Dr. Mukul Singh and Dr. Premila Rathnam along with other doctors
• Non-Hormonal Method Avoids Side Effects and Cancer Risk
• If proven successful: about 5 million new infections and 3 million deaths per year due to HIV/AIDS will be saved
NEW YORK, May 19, 2009
Surinder Singh/ LA-Gary Singh
The vaginally inserted ring is incorporated with multiple antiviral
drugs that prevent HIV infection and are time-released over a period up
to 28 days. The compounds tested were a newly developed anti-HIV agent,
Boc-lysinated betulonic acid, TMC120 (dapivirine), PMPA, and
3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT or zidovudine), which, when combined,
were found to block infection in human cells exposed to the virus in a
laboratory setting.
Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College have published results
showing that a new contraceptive device may also effectively block the
transmission of the HIV virus. Findings show that the device prevents
infection by the HIV virus in laboratory testing. The promising results
are published in the most recent issue of the journal AIDS.
The new device is a vaginal ring that releases multiple types of
non-hormonal agents and microbicides, which would prevent conception as
well as sexually transmitted HIV infection.
Worldwide, there are about 5 million new infections and 3 million
deaths per year due to HIV/AIDS. If proven successful in future
clinical trials, the new device could empower women to effectively and
conveniently protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infection. The ring may also someday represent a novel
method to prevent STIs for those with aversion to currently available
methods, with hormonally derived active agents, or with allergies to
latex condoms.
Dr. Brij Saxena, lead author and the Harold and Percy Uris Professor of Reproductive Biology and professor of endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College said:
• This device is a new approach to birth control, because it avoids the long-term use of hormonal methods that have been associated with increased risk of certain cancers
• At the same time, this is the first device to simultaneously offer the possibility to prevent unintended pregnancy and HIV transmission.
• The combination of these antiviral drugs has proven to be potent agents that may block infection by the HIV virus.
• The ring is also incorporated with compounds that prevent conception by arresting sperm motility, raising vaginal mucous viscosity, and sustaining the acidity of the vagina in which sperm do not survive. Traditionally, similar devices have used hormonal compounds that have been linked to increased risk of breast and cervical cancers, or spermicidal compounds that kill sperm, but may lead to irritation and inflammation. Past findings published in the journal Contraception found the device to be highly effective in animal models and in laboratory testing.
• The compounds in the device are natural materials that are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in humans.
Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, co-author of the study and attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
• No one has ever conquered a viral epidemic with treatment, so prevention is the most effective option. Ideally, an HIV vaccine is the most desirable method, but that is not foreseeable in the near future.
The next best thing would be something that would prevent infection and put the power in the susceptible female partner's control. That's the potential a device such as this can offer.
The study was supported by grants by the National Institutes of Health, International Partnership for Microbicides and BioRing LLC.
Collaborators on this study include Dr. Young A. Han and Dr. Mukul Singh from Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Dingyi Fu and Dr. Premila Rathnam formerly of Weill Cornell, and Sidney Lerner from BioRings LLC.
Drs. Saxena and Singh are vice presidents at BioRings LLC and along with Mr. Lerner, president of BioRings LLC, are co-inventors and owners of U.S. and foreign patents on the technology used in this research. Cornell Research Foundation (CRF) owns pending patent applications related to the research.
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally
Dr. Brij Saxena, Harold and Percy Uris Professor of Reproductive Biology, Professor of Endocrinology in Obstetrics and Gynecology. B.S. 1949, University of Lucknow (India); M.S. 1951, University of Lucknow (India); Ph.D. 1954, University of Lucknow (India); D.Sc. 1957, Friedrich Wilhelms University (Germany); Ph.D. 1961, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Dr. Mukul Singh: Associate Research Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
M.B.,B.S. 1972, Banaras Hindu University (India); Ph.D. 2005, Bundelkhand University (India).
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections
Infection with HIV occurs:
* by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.
* The four major routes of transmission are unprotected sexual intercourse, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth (Vertical transmission).
• UNAIDS and WHO estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on December 1, 1981.
• As of January 2006, It is estimated that about 0.6 percent of the world's population is infected with HIV.
• In 2005 alone, AIDS claimed an estimated above 2 million lives, of which more than 570,000 were children.
• 1/3 of these deaths are occurring in sub-Saharan Africa,
• According to current estimates, HIV is set to infect 90 million people in Africa
In the United States, over 600,000 reported cases of AIDS have been recorded since 1981 and it is believed that 900,000 Americans may be infected with HIV. According to the NIAID, an estimated 30.6 million globally were living with HIV/AIDS as of December 1997 and the figure was projected to reach 40 million by the year 2000 -- more than 75% of adult infections were as a result of heterosexual contact.
• It is an estimated that over 30 million globally were living with HIV/AIDS as of December 1997 and the figure was projected to reach 60 million by the year 2010
• it's estimated that around 2.5 million Indians are currently living with HIV.
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