Summary of CAPRISA Germicide Study Results as Presented at Vienna Conference

The biggest news at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna on Tuesday was the release of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) study that finds that a microbicide gel containing Gilead’s HIV drug tenofovir lowers the risk of HIV infection in women by 39%. 

"This is very encouraging," UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe said. "It can be controlled by women, and put in 12 hours earlier, and that is empowering. They do not have to ask the man for permission to use it. And the cost of the gel is not high." 

Tony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, commented in a statement, ""The CAPRISA 004 study is an exciting scientific achievement that moves us one step forward to gaining another effective tool to prevent HIV infection.  However, because no one approach will be appropriate or acceptable to all, we must continue to pursue a range of HIV prevention modalities, including microbicides, PrEP, and vaccines, as we simultaneously pursue scientific strategies designed to bring us closer to finding a cure for HIV/AIDS.

The Kaiser Family Foundation website provides a helpful summary of the study results based on the extensive news coverage that the announcement received.  The study was published online in the journal Science.  Webcasts of the trial presentation and press conference are also available on the KFF website.