University of the Witwatersrand, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2010 Mar 18;62(4-5):532-46. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.11.022. Epub 2009 Nov 14.
As we continue to be embroiled in the global battle against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), there has been an ongoing evolution in the understanding of the molecular mode of sexual transmission of HIV. This has gone hand-in-hand with a paradigm shift and research focus on the development of microbicides - compounds designed for vaginal (and possibly rectal) administration that are envisaged to put safe, affordable and accessible protection into the hands of women. However, an effective microbicide is not yet available; innovative approaches for the design of topical vaginal microbicides are urgently needed. The potential of the advancing field of nanomedicine has been earmarked in the increasing efforts to address the major health problems of the developing world. In this review, advances in the design of innovative microbicide nanocarriers and nano-enabled microbicides, henceforth referred to as 'nano-microbicides', are presented; elaborating on nanotechnology's role in the antiviral arena. The role of nanotechnology in the antiviral arena and the unique issues facing the generation of intellectual property relating to nano-microbicides in the ongoing global 'tug-of-war' of 'patients versus patents' are also explicated.
随着我们继续卷入全球对抗人类免疫缺陷病毒 (HIV) 的战斗，人们对 HIV 通过性传播的分子模式的理解一直在不断发展。这与范式转变和研究重点的转变相辅相成，即转向开发杀微生物剂 - 设计用于阴道（可能还有直肠）给药的化合物，旨在将安全、负担得起和可及的保护交到妇女手中。然而，目前还没有有效的杀微生物剂；迫切需要设计局部阴道杀微生物剂的创新方法。纳米医学领域的进展潜力已被确定为解决发展中国家主要健康问题的日益努力的一部分。在这篇综述中，介绍了创新的杀微生物剂纳米载体和纳米启用杀微生物剂（此后称为“纳米杀微生物剂”）的设计进展；阐述了纳米技术在抗病毒领域的作用。纳米技术在抗病毒领域的作用以及在当前全球“患者与专利”的“拉锯战”中与纳米杀微生物剂相关的知识产权产生所面临的独特问题也得到了说明。
