Testing a vaginal treatment to help prevent HIV in women
Official title: Phase 1 Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Safety Study of MucoCept-CVN (Lactobacillus jensenii 1153-1666) Administered Vaginally to Healthy Women
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-10999145 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new vaginal treatment called MucoCept-CVN, which uses a special strain of good bacteria to help improve vaginal health and lower the risk of HIV transmission, and it's looking for healthy women to try it out and see how well it works.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | November 22, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,533,177 |
| NIH project number | 1U01AI186333-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10999145 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are healthy women who are at risk of HIV exposure.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not at risk of HIV or those with existing HIV infections may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new vaginal treatment called MucoCept-CVN, which contains a bioengineered strain of Lactobacillus jensenii. The treatment aims to enhance vaginal health and reduce the risk of HIV transmission by delivering a potent HIV entry inhibitor directly to the site of potential infection. The study will involve healthy women who will receive either the treatment or a placebo in a randomized manner, allowing researchers to assess safety and effectiveness. Participants will help provide important data on how well the treatment colonizes the vaginal area and its pharmacokinetics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a novel method for women to prevent HIV transmission, significantly impacting public health.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies have shown promising results with similar approaches, indicating a potential for success in human trials.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hemmerling, Anke — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Hemmerling, Anke
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.