Huntington Valley, Pa.-based Biosyn Inc. is set to begin a study in 2,200 women in Ghana to see if its vaginal contraceptive gel kills sperm and blocks HIV transmission. Trials are also planned for Nigeria and the United States. Other studies will look at whether the gel prevents chlamydia and herpes.
The gel’s active ingredient is a 1 percent concentration of C31G, a germ-killing chemical. Six previous trials found the gel to be safe, kill sperm, not cause irritation, and achieve the coverage needed to prevent transmission of sexually transmitted microbes. "The next step is to show that it really works in women," said University of Pennsylvania researcher Kurt Barnhart.