IPM Receives €9.4 ($12.7) Million Grant From the Netherlands

December 6, 2010

The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) has received a grant for €9.4 million from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reinforcing the global commitment to address the HIV epidemic among women.

The Dutch government has supported IPM since 2002 with a total of €22 million in funding. The current grant will extend their financial support through 2014 and will help fund IPM’s Phase III safety and efficacy program of the dapivirine vaginal ring slated to begin in 2011 as well as other product development efforts. Microbicides are antiretroviral (ARV) drug-based products being developed to prevent HIV transmission to women. Microbicides can give women the power they need to protect their health — and the health of their families — by preventing HIV infection.

HIV/AIDS remains one of the greatest burdens to the future health and well-being of our world, with an estimated 2.6 million new infections in 2009. The spread of HIV/AIDS continues to outpace the world’s response to it, and the number of new infections continues to surpass the number of people who are newly placed on HIV treatment by two to one.  HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death globally among women ages 15-44, and is exacting an especially high toll in sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately six in 10 HIV-infected adults are women.

We now know that the ARVs being used successfully in HIV treatment can be adapted to prevent HIV, and empower those most at risk of infection to protect themselves and their loved ones. Recent studies have shown that both once-daily ARV pills and ARV-based vaginal gels can reduce the risk of infection in people who use them. Research is also continuing into new products such as ARV-containing vaginal rings that could provide women protection against HIV for a month or longer. 

Following the important scientific findings in 2010, funding rather than science remains the primary obstacle in the ability to provide these life-saving products to women who need them most. “Microbicides represent true hope in stemming HIV/AIDS by empowering women to protect themselves from infection,” IPM CEO Dr. Zeda Rosenberg said. “The Dutch government’s generous and invaluable support will help advance essential microbicide research and development, and ensure that, once approved for use, microbicides will reach the hands of women most in need.”