Another HIV microbicide a bust

Another microbicide to prevent linkurl:HIV;http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/23586/ transmission has been deemed ineffective. The Population Council, a nonprofit research organization, which has been developing the microbicide Carraguard, announced today that phase III clinical results show it ineffective in linkurl:preventing HIV;http://www.the-scientist.com/article/daily/53516/ transmission. The trial, which ended in March of last year, involved 6,202 women and cost around $40 million. Of the 3,103 participants who were using the microbicide gel, 134 became infected with the virus while on the trial, as opposed to 151 out of 3,099 who were using a placebo. These results are not statistically significant, Khatija Ahmed, from the University of Limpopo in South Africa, and principal investigator of the trial, said in a telephone press conference last Thursday (February 14). Microbicides to prevent HIV have had a rough ride on the path to development, and there are currently none approved for use as anti-HIV agents. linkurl:Last year,;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/52861/ the phase III clinical...