Microbicides for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted HIV Infections

Table 3

Ideal characteristics/attributes of microbicide development.

Commendable qualities	Attributes
Safety	(i) Should not exhibit any localized toxicity.
	(ii) Avoiding any potential impact on epithelial surfaces and natural innate barriers.
	(iii) Prevent from long-term systemic toxicity associated with frequency and duration of product.
	(iv) Avoiding impact on fertility and/or not exhibiting any fetal abnormalities.
Efficacy	(i) Product must have a significant degree of efficacy.
	(ii) Exhibit long-term efficacy.
	(iii) Do not produce drug resistance.
Cost	(i) Must be affordable to at-risk populations.
	(ii) They are cheap/affordable for mass distribution.
Acceptability	(i) Must be acceptable for use in conjunction with sex.
	(ii) Highly acceptable in the real world and majorly adopted by at-risk populations.
Drug delivery	(i) Sufficient drug levels must be maintained in the appropriate compartments of the genital tract or rectum during exposure to virus.
	(ii) Should exhibit sustained and controlled drug delivery to the target place.
Therapy impact	(i) Should not induce drug resistance.
	(ii) Exhibit significant impact of treatment and prevention of infection.
Prioritization	(i) Prioritization should include in vitro activity (potency and breadth), stage of product development (including manufacturing processes), and stability under diverse environmental conditions.
	(ii) Must be prioritized to maximize progress and prevent duplication.