Particle Sciences, a Bethlehelm, Pa.-based drug development CRO, will share formulation, analytic and production responsibilities in an effort to develop a vaginally administered microbicide, a product specifically designed to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. According to Robert Lee, VP Pharmaceutical Development at Particle Sciences, “We have been developing vaginal gels and sustained delivery systems such as intravaginal rings for some time now and are thrilled to be able to leverage that experience on behalf of Combined Highly Active Anti-retroviral Microbicides program (CHAARM).” According to Charles Kelly of King’s College London, CHAARM’s coordinator, “We are very pleased to be working with Particle Sciences. Their unique expertise in formulation of compounds for mucosal application will be essential to the success of the program.”
The CHAARM project aims to develop new anti-HIV microbicides—products that could reduce the transmission of HIV by sexual intercourse. Microbicides could be applied in the form of a gel, cream or a controlled-release device to prevent infection with HIV at vaginal or rectal surfaces. CHAARM will focus on combination products containing two or more microbicides in a single product, which will be more effective than using a single microbicide.
The program will include human studies to determine microbicide safety and will investigate biomarkers associated with health or damage at mucosal surfaces.
This news was featured in Drug Discovery & Development magazine: Vol. 13, No. 3, April 2010, p. 37.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
