Statement of Dr. Zeda Rosenberg, CEO of IPM on World AIDS Day 2008

The 21st World AIDS Day is an opportunity to take stock of our efforts to end the global HIV pandemic. Expanded access to HIV treatment and existing prevention strategies have been revolutionary and given hope to millions, but there are still three newly infected individuals for every two put on antiretroviral treatment. With this in mind, we must renew our commitment to research and develop new HIV prevention strategies that would complement existing methods.

IPM is dedicated to developing safe and effective microbicides, and making them accessible to women in developing countries in urgent need of new HIV prevention options. Microbicides are vaginal gels, rings or tablets that women would use to prevent HIV infection during sexual intercourse.

Across the globe, 33 million people are living with HIV and thousands more are infected every day. Due to a mix of biology and culture, women and young girls increasingly bear the burden of HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, young women are more than three times as likely to be infected as young men.

Trial results from several early generation microbicide candidates were disappointing, but we must remember that drug development in general is always a long and complex process with inevitable setbacks. Promising next-generation products being developed by IPM and others are already in early-stage clinical testing. These next-generation microbicides are based on the same antiretroviral compounds used successfully in HIV treatment for millions of patients.

IPM partners with researchers and communities around the world, particularly in developing countries with the greatest HIV/AIDS burden. Together we conduct safety and acceptability studies in Europe and Africa to prepare for larger-scale studies in Africa that will determine if the products are effective. We are working closely with our partners and local and national ethics committees to ensure that every study meets the highest ethical standards.
And because even successful microbicides would be useless unless they reach those who need them most, IPM and its partners are laying the groundwork now to ensure that microbicides, once developed, can quickly get into the hands of all women at risk – particularly women in developing countries.

In these difficult economic times, it is easy to lose focus on HIV’s devastating impact. World AIDS Day is a reminder that the stakes are too high to give up. IPM remains committed to our mission because when success does occur, safe and effective microbicides could benefit millions. Working together, we can make this promise a reality.