The Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) says it is working on an antiretroviral implant that could prevent the transmission of HIV in women.
The programme undertakes African-led scientific interventions to tackle some of the world’s leading infectious diseases.
Caprisa director, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, addressed a research programme called Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa or Tiba in Durban.
“We are creating an implant about the size of a matchstick. We can fit enough Tenofovir into this matchstick sized barrel and insert it in the arm and it releases TAF (Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate) at a very slow rate. We think it will have enough TAF to last a whole year – so that we just need to put this in the arm once a year. Our hope is that it will protect against HIV.”
