Tenofovir (Viread), an antiretroviral HIV drug first shown by the CNPRC to be safe and effective in treating monkeys that were infected with SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus), has once again been used as the key ingredient in a pair of successful HIV preventative studies. The two new studies, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that daily pills formulated with tenofovir lowered the risk of HIV infection by up to 73% when given to uninfected heterosexual men and women in Africa who have an HIV-infected partner. This brings new hope for someday offering a medical shield against HIV infection.
Press Release NY Times