Arizona State gets $7.4 million microbicides grant

Researchers at Arizona State University this week received a $7.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a microbicide product that could kill HIV and some other sexually transmitted pathogens on contact, The Arizona Republic reports. The goal of the researchers is to develop a topical product that women can apply just prior to sex that will protect them against STDs. ASU is working on the project with the National Vaccine Testing Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Mapp Biopharmaceuticals. The scientists are attempting to modify the genes of tobacco plants to product a protein that would will HIV, hepatitis B, herpes simplex, and human papillomavirus on contact. They're also studying the genes of corn plants for a similar protein-based product.