Indian-American Professor's Design a New Super Condom Could Help in Global Fight Against HIV

16/December/2015

Super Condoms containing antioxidants that kill the HIV virus designed by an Indian-American professor

Texas A&M Professor Mahua Choudhury (center) is proposing the idea of a hydrogel condom that will fight HIV infection. She is seen here with other scientists of her lab. (pharmacy.tamhsc.edu photo)

Aiming to increase global use of condoms as a way to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS, researchers including an Indian-American professor have developed a new non-latex condom which contains antioxidants and can kill the deadly virus even after breaking.

Mahua Choudhury, assistant professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, is the principal investigator behind the proposal that would change the condom from rubber to the strong, elastic polymer that is hydrogel.

Additionally, the new condom will include quercetin, a plant-based antioxidant that has shown to have anti-HIV properties.

“Some people are allergic to latex, and others are just not comfortable with it,” Choudhury said in a statement. “Therefore, we wanted to create a novel material.”

Choudhury and her team were previously chosen by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to receive a Grand Challenge in Global Health grant for their research and creation of a low-cost, latex-free condom.

In addition to the protection against STDs and pregnancy, the quercetin-infused hydrogel condom protects against HIV infection. And even if the condom were to break, the antioxidant would be released for additional protection.

Scientists also claim that quercetin can enhance the sexual experience because it promotes smooth muscle relaxation, arterial blood flow and can help to stimulate and maintain erections.

“If we succeed, it will revolutionize the HIV prevention initiative,” Choudhury added. “We are not only making a novel material for condoms to prevent the HIV infection, but we are also aiming to eradicate this infection if possible.”

The condom has already been created and now the only thing keeping it from going to market is an approval on their patent application. The researchers hope to test the condom sometime within the next six months.

Once released, Choudhury hopes the new condom will eventually be made available to everyone, including those in rural areas, where these types of resources are limited.

“Super condom could help fight against HIV infection and may as well prevent unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases and If we succeed, it will revolutionize the HIV prevention initiative,” added the lead researcher.

In 2014, there were about 36.9 million people living with HIV and about 2 million were infected, the statement reported. The virus, which causes AIDS, is commonly spread through sexual activity, and although anti-retroviral therapy has turned the once-universally fatal condition into a chronic one, still 1.2 million people died as a result of AIDS-related diseases last year, it added.

“We are not only making a novel material for condoms to prevent the HIV infection, but we are also aiming to eradicate this infection if possible,” Choudhury said.

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