Carrageenan/MIV-150 (PC-815), a combination microbicide

Objective: The objective of this article is to study the effect of PC-815, a novel combination microbicide containing carrageenan and the nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI) MIV-150, in blocking HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in vitro as compared with Carraguard alone.

Goal: The goal of this study was to develop a combination microbicide that is more efficacious than Carraguard against HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Study design: The microtiter syncytial assay was used to evaluate: 1) the Antiviral and virucidal activity of MIV-150 against HIV-1MN; 2) the additive effect of MIV-150 when combined with carrageenan; and 3) a possible interference of seminal fluid in the Antiviral activity of these compounds.

Results: MIV-150 effectively inactivated free virus. Combination of MIV-150 and Carraguard demonstrated an additive Antiviral effect. Seminal fluid had no effect on the Antiviral activity of MIV-150 or Carraguard. The average concentration that blocks 50% of Infection (EC50) for PC-815 was approximately 10 times stronger than Carraguard for the different clinical isolates used in the study.

Conclusion: Theoretically, PC-815 is likely to be a more efficacious microbicide than Carraguard.