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

03206 THE PROGRAM OF THE MICROBICIDE DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA

Karamov, Edward*
Kornilaeva G.*, Pavlova T.*, Sidorovich I.**.
* Ivanovsky Institute of Virology RAMS, Moscow, Russia; ** Institute of Immunology, moscow, Russia

RBackground: The creation of topical microbicides against HIV and other sexual diseases pathogens is so important as vaccine development. Today more than 60 microbicide preparations pass clinical trials. They suppose the use of microbicide preparations will result in 1 million of the new HIV cases decrease. The most important part of the microbicide program is the search of novel specific anti-HIV-1 agents. Our investigations were performed to find perspective compounds and their combinations to employ them in topical microbicides which possess the ability to block the HIV transmission on different stages of virus cell interaction. We have studied original compounds from different groups: sulfated chitosanes, humic acids and plant polyphenol derivatives.

Methods: anti-viral activity as well the cytotoxicity of compounds was defined using clinical isolates and laboratory adapted HIV-1 strains and human PMBCs (peripheral mononuclear blood cells) and T-lymphoblastoid cell lines. The level of virus reproduction in infected cells was detected with p24 HIV-1 antigen ELISA detection system.

Results: Sulfated chitosane derivatives possessed low cytotoxicity and blocked HIV-1 infection in T-cells (ED50 = 0.08-2.0 ?g/ml). The inhibitory effect depended on the localization and the amount of the sulfated groups and saccharide monomer, the type of anionic groups and the charge of molecules. The ED50 values of the humic acid derivatives against HIV-1 laboratory strain and HIV-1 M-tropic AZT-resistant wild-type strain were 0.85 and 3.5 µg/ml respectively, without appearance of any detectible resistance. The most of studied plant polyphenol derivatives possessed strong cytotoxicity. The consideration of the cytotoxicity and inhibitory effect allowed us to choose the number of compounds with the essential selectivity index: IS = 100 - 1000.

Conclusions: We found the number of original compounds with high anti-HIV activity and sufficient selectivity indexes, which should be useful for new microbicide preparations. We are going to use new immunomodulator – polyoxidoniy for the improving of the microbicide compositions.

The leader of immunochemistry group, of Ivanovsky inst. of Virology, PhD, Edward Karamov
Ivanovsky Inst. of Virology, !6 Gamaleyea st., 123098, Moscow, Russia
(Telephone) +7(095)190-30-48 (Fax) +7(095)190-28-67 (E-mail) zelik@mol.ru; karamov@mol.ru; turgiev@ld.ru