Figures & data
Figure 1 Targeted modes of action of vaginally administered microbicides. To prevent HIV-1 infection, microbicides enabling vaginal milieu protection, such as lactobacilli or agents maintaining acidic pH of cervicovaginal fluid, have been developed. Microbicides based on surfactants are virucidal and inactivate cell-free virus. Microbicides can also be developed based on compounds that prevent binding, fusion or entry of HIV-1 to the host cells, such as CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. Among the more target-specific microbicides are those based on antiviral drugs, including inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT).
Table 1 Outcome of clinical trials in humans of some selected microbicides acting at different stages of the HIV life cycle
Table 2 Microbicides in the pipeline undergoing Phase III clinical trial for prevention of sexual transmission of HIV-1