The National Institutes of Health awarded researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a three-year, $1.8 million grant for the development of an implantable drug delivery system for long-lasting HIV-prevention.
The implant consists of an anti-HIV drug, a polymer and a solvent. The liquid formulation will solidify under the skin after the injection. As the polymer slowly deteriorates, the medicine will be released. Efficacy of the implant will be assessed in clinical trials conducted by UNC.
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While a pill exists to prevent HIV infection, adherence to this daily regimen may be difficult for some.
"This long-acting injectable formulation could provide a discrete and efficient method to protect against HIV infection and improve adherence, which is one of the major challenges of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP," said Rahima Benhabbour, PhD, a research assistant professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. "The formulation is adaptable to a number of drugs alone or in combination and can be fine-tuned to meet a targeted release regimen."
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