Microbicides 2004 Microbicides 200428-31 March 2004, Hilton London MetropoleThe conference42 million men, women and children worldwide were living with HIV by the end of December 2002 (source: UNAIDS), including five million newly-infected during that year alone. Another 45 million people will become infected between 2002 and 2010, unless the current transmission rates can be vastly reduced. Of the 42 million, 29.4 million live in sub-Saharan Africa and 58% of them are women. Not only are women more susceptible to HIV infection, many are powerless to insist on the use of condoms or other methods of protecting themselves. In this context, and with the knowledge that an effective HIV vaccine is unlikely to be available for several years, the need for an effective topical microbicide grows ever more urgent. 2004 should prove to be a landmark year in the field of microbicide development as the first Phase III trials of novel products are due to start – the next step along the road to making a microbicide available to the millions worldwide in desperate need of protection.The aims of the Microbicides 2004 conference are to:Report novel or innovative work in the microbicides fieldProvide updates on recent microbicides research, divided into three tracks: basic science, clinical science, and behavioural science (including public health and the microbicide marketplace)Provide a forum for the discussion of new developments in microbicide research including ethical, clinical, behavioural and methodological issuesPresent opportunities for knowledge-sharing between microbicide researchers, public-health workers and advocacy organisations.There will be an opening ceremony on the evening of Sunday 28 March at which politicians, policy makers and the international media are expected. The conference will run for a full three days, each of which will contain:Scientific overviews and presentations with plenary sessions, invited lecturers and presentations of original researchWorkshops to review issues unique to microbicides such as trial design and outcome measures, and ethical issues in the clinical trials of microbicidesPoster sessions. Focus on LondonFollowing the successful Microbicides conferences in Washington in 2000 and Antwerp in 2002, March 2004 sees the focus move to London.The venue is the Hilton Metropole Hotel, two minutes by taxi from Paddington station and the Heathrow Express, with a journey time from the airport of 15 minutes. The hotel is in walking distance of Hyde Park and London’s main shopping streets, and close to Imperial College. Accommodation will be available at the venue and other hotels in the vicinity.London in March offers a variety of diversions for out-of-conference relaxation, including sight-seeing and shopping; the arts and the theatre; and pubs, clubs and restaurants to suit every taste. Conference staff will be on hand to help delegates plan their spare time.To book your place or find out more information, e-mail info@microbicides2004.org.uk or telephone the Event Office on +44 (0) 20 7720 4411
Oral: invited speaker Oral: Track A Oral: Track B Oral: Track C Poster: Track A Poster: Track B Poster: Track C Abstract only Authors

02646_2 HU-SCID MOUSE MODEL FOR RECTAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV: TESTING PRO 2000/5 GEL. 

Di Fabio Simonetta §*,
Profy A.&Mac176;, Giannini G. §*, Spada M.*, Binelli A. §*, Germinario E. §*, Lapenta C.*, Carlini F§*. F. Belardelli*, S. Vella§*.
*Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy § Deptartment of Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy ° Indevus Pharmaceuticals Lexington, Ma-USA

Topical microbicides for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission between sexual partners should ideally be safe and effective when used both vaginally and rectally. Few animal models are suitable for evaluating both mechanisms of sexual transmission. Our study focuses on the use of a hu-SCID mouse model of cell-associated HIV transmission at the rectal level. This recently developed rectal model is currently being used for evaluation of rectally applied topical gel containing PRO 2000/5 at two different concentrations (0.5%, and 4%) vs a matched placebo gel. Animals received a single intra-rectal application of 50 ?l of PRO 2000/5 or placebo gel, 15-20 minutes prior to a non-invasive rectal challenge with cell-associated dual-tropic laboratory-derived R5X4 strain of HIV-1 (1/BX08). Cell to cell transmission was assessed by p24 determination and by quantitative PCR. Systemic infection was inhibited by PRO 2000/5 gel in this model: 4 out of 5 animals (80%) receiving 4% PRO 2000/5 gel resulted negative for infection as shown by p24 and PCR results, and 4 out of 5 animals (80%) receiving 0.5% PRO 2000/5 gel resulted negative as shown by p24 results. All 5 animals receiving the placebo gel became infected.

We are currently confirming these preliminary results and investigating the effect of PRO 2000/5 gel in preventing the rectal transmission of cell-free virus.

MD, PhD, Simonetta Di Fabio
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
(Telephone) +39-(0)6-49903302 (Fax) +39-(0)6-49387199 (E-mail) s.difabio@iss.it