MatTek's EpiVaginal successfully used in microbicide/HIV study

MatTek Corp. today announced that its patented EpiVaginal human cell-derived tissue model was successfully used in pre-clinical research investigating HIV infection and microbicide interaction.

According to the United Nations AIDS Program (UNAIDS), almost half of the adults living with HIV and AIDS are women. Over the past two years, the number of women infected with HIV has increased in every region of the world, with rates rising particularly rapidly in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America. In sub-Saharan Africa, women already make up almost 60% of adults living with HIV, and heterosexual transmission of HIV is the dominant route of infection.

Because of this, major HIV prevention research is focused on the development of safe, socially acceptable and affordable microbicides for use by women, particularly in third world countries. Topically-applied microbicides provide protection against sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS and other infections.

University of Central Florida researchers, led by Dr. Alexander Cole, recently published their research on a novel microbicide in the journal "Immunology" (online edition). This pre-clinical research study used EpiVaginal tissues as a biologically relevant model in order to assess the toxicity of newly developed microbicides, and to evaluate the efficacy of microbicides in the prevention and transmission of HIV infection. From these results, it can also be predicted that utilization of EpiVaginal tissues can reduce the number of animals required to study toxicity and efficacy of newly developed, topically applied, women-related products and formulations.

Dr. Seyoum Ayehunie, Lead Scientist for MatTek's EpiVaginal products, stated, "We are pleased that EpiVaginal performed so well in this pre-clinical microbicide research study. Our goal is to provide HIV researchers with a more human-like, non-animal test platform, and EpiVaginal provided that for Dr. Cole's research team."