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Scientists Develop Surgical "Pump" That Would Distribute HIV-Prevention Meds Into The Body

The device would only have to be refilled once or twice a year.

Scientists from a biotechnology company in Boston are developing a small, implantable drug pump they believe can help prevent people in sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world from becoming infected with HIV.

Intarcia Therapeutics Inc. has received a $140 million investment from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to work on the tiny device, which will be designed to deliver continuous small doses of anti-retroviral drugs to patients in order to ensure they stay on the treatment.

“There’s a vital need for an HIV/AIDS intervention that allows those at risk to incorporate prevention more easily into their daily lives,” said the Gates Foundation's chief executive, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, in a statement. “We feel optimistic about our partnership with Intarcia and the prospect of an implantable prophylactic device that could make a world of difference for people more in need.”

ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images

The pump, which is about the size of a matchstick, can hold six or 12 months' worth of medicine, so it would only need to be filled once or twice a year.

The PrEP drug Truvada has proven to be highly effective in preventing the spread of the virus, but doctors report it can be challenging to get people to remember to take a pill every day, especially if they are already healthy.

With Intarcia's pump, patients have the ability to simply put it in and then forget about it, which would take HIV prevention to the next level.

While scientists continue to develop the device, they've filed for FDA approval for another version that treats type-2 diabetes.

h/t: Boston Herald

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