Product Feature: VivaGel Topical Agent for HIV Prevention
Australia based Starpharma is well positioned to capitalize on the future of drug technology. The Company has a strong patent portfolio in dendrimers and a 33% stake in U.S. based Drendritic Technologies, which has rights to Dow Chemical's entire dendrimer patent portfolio. Dendrimers are branching polymers and can be used to create sophisticated binding mechanisms for biomedical agents.
Starpharma is one of the first companies to attempt to commercialize a dendrimer-based drug through the FDA with its VivaGel product. A recent $20 million grant from the National Health Institute bodes well for VivaGel, which is estimated to reach the market by 2008. VivaGel can be used by women to prevent various STDs, including HIV. Starpharma also believes the technology could be used as a coating on condoms and is discussing the possibility with major condom manufacturers. At $4.00 / share Starpharma is a good value.
Product Description (Source: Company Website):
Starpharma’s microbicide, VivaGel™, is a topical agent that can potentially prevent or reduce
transmission of HIV and other STDs when applied to the vagina or rectum prior to sexual intercourse. Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection than men due to biological, sociological and cultural factors, and a safe and effective microbicide would offer women an alternative to dependence on condoms for STD prevention . The development of microbicides is being backed by a global effort to fight the enormous social impact of HIV, particularly in the developing world. Microbicides are one of the technologies known as “female-controlled protection against sexually transmitted infections”, which have been identified as one of the top ten biotechnologies for improving health in the developing world. Starpharma’s development of VivaGel™ is supported through collaboration with the topical microbicide team within the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
VivaGel™ is a dendrimer-based nanotechnology in phase II/III of clinical trials and expected to become available in 2007. Dendrimers are synthetic, nanoscale molecules with unique features that make them suitable for the development as pharmaceuticals. For instance, dendrimers can be used as encasings to protect and release an agent only under specific conditions, resulting in more targeted and effective drug delivery.
Starpharma is one of the first companies to attempt to commercialize a dendrimer-based drug through the FDA with its VivaGel product. A recent $20 million grant from the National Health Institute bodes well for VivaGel, which is estimated to reach the market by 2008. VivaGel can be used by women to prevent various STDs, including HIV. Starpharma also believes the technology could be used as a coating on condoms and is discussing the possibility with major condom manufacturers. At $4.00 / share Starpharma is a good value.
Product Description (Source: Company Website):
Starpharma’s microbicide, VivaGel™, is a topical agent that can potentially prevent or reduce
transmission of HIV and other STDs when applied to the vagina or rectum prior to sexual intercourse. Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection than men due to biological, sociological and cultural factors, and a safe and effective microbicide would offer women an alternative to dependence on condoms for STD prevention . The development of microbicides is being backed by a global effort to fight the enormous social impact of HIV, particularly in the developing world. Microbicides are one of the technologies known as “female-controlled protection against sexually transmitted infections”, which have been identified as one of the top ten biotechnologies for improving health in the developing world. Starpharma’s development of VivaGel™ is supported through collaboration with the topical microbicide team within the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
VivaGel™ is a dendrimer-based nanotechnology in phase II/III of clinical trials and expected to become available in 2007. Dendrimers are synthetic, nanoscale molecules with unique features that make them suitable for the development as pharmaceuticals. For instance, dendrimers can be used as encasings to protect and release an agent only under specific conditions, resulting in more targeted and effective drug delivery.
posted by Clayton at 3:39 AM
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