New Year’s Message from IPM’s CEO, Dr. Zeda Rosenberg

Happy New Year, and thank you to everyone working to defeat the HIV/AIDS epidemic and make prevention tools such as microbicides a reality. It is truly inspiring to see the passion and talent that drives our global effort in the face of enormous challenge. The overwhelming impact of the disease only strengthens our resolve to stay on course as scientific research presses the way towards our ultimate goal: saving lives.

I want to take a moment to bring you up-to-date on IPM’s plans for 2009. Together with our global partners, IPM is working to bring promising ARV-based technologies into approximately 10 new clinical studies this year that will evaluate the safety, acceptability, pharmacokinetic profile and male tolerance of dapivirine vaginal gels and rings. These studies will take place in more than five African countries (Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and possibly Zambia and Zimbabwe), five European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and at multiple sites in the United States.

Among these will be the largest IPM expanded safety studies to date of dapivirine —  with 320 participants each. Those studies will also pilot IPM’s new daily monitored adherence design, which aims to verify how closely volunteers are using the product as directed and ensure the integrity of trial results.

The coming year will also see the launch of HIV incidence studies in several African communities as well as an evaluation of IPM’s “smart” gel applicator, a new technology also designed to help ensure product adherence. Other plans include a longer-term protocol for following up with any participants who become HIV-positive during a clinical trial. All of this work forms the foundation for IPM’s first Phase III efficacy trial scheduled for 2011.

In addition to taking every step to ensure the safety of our products in clinical trials, IPM will conduct a market research study in 2009 to assess the acceptability of vaginal tablets, films and soft gel capsules to women and men living in Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Burkina Faso. Even the most potent and safe microbicides will not stem the pandemic unless women and their male partners will use them, so it is vital to determine preferences in the regions where women are at the greatest risk for infection. IPM will also be pushing ahead with its development efforts around other microbicide candidates.

At an organizational level, IPM is growing and expanding to fit its important mandate for 2009 and beyond. We are pleased to announce the formal promotions of two IPM staff members who have long been key to IPM’s senior team:  Joseph Romano, PhD, as Chief of Product Development and Janelle Bryant, MBA, as Chief Financial Officer. These promotions recognize their significant contributions to IPM’s strategic direction and management. 

IPM looks forward to entering this New Year with our partners and the global community with a renewed commitment to undertaking the hard work required to ultimately succeed in providing women with safe, effective and accessible microbicides to prevent HIV.

I wish you a happy, healthy and productive 2009.


About IPM: IPM is a nonprofit product development partnership dedicated to developing new HIV prevention technologies and making them available to women in developing countries. IPM has offices in the United States, South Africa and Belgium. Please visit www.IPMglobal.org.