Gates Foundation to Help Fund Anti-HIV Implant R&D

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is expanding its efforts to find a cure for HIV with a new partnership.

The philanthropic organization will invest $140 million in Intarcia Therapeutics, a Boston-based biotech company, to help the firm create an under-the-skin implant that will continuously deliver a stream of anti-HIV drugs in 6 or 12 month batches, according to Engadget.

“There’s a vital need for an HIV/AIDS intervention that allows those at risk to incorporate prevention more easily into their daily lives. We feel optimistic about our partnership with Intarcia and the prospect of an implantable prophylactic device that could make a world of difference for people most in need,” said Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a statement.

Intarcia developed an alternative of this pump to treat type 2 diabetes, which aims to eliminate the need for arduous daily or weekly injections therefore boosting adherence. A new drug application for this device was submitted to the FDA in November.

However, the development process for the HIV-oriented prototype could take a number of years.

Intarcia’s team needs to search for the best drug to use in this device while also passing all of the necessary regulations in order to get the product to patients in Sub-Saharan Africa and similar countries where the virus is a persistent issue.

The Gates Foundation will initially provide $50 million upfront while an estimated $90 million will be allocated to the company once the invention hits certain milestones.