In July 2019, MTN’s Jared Baeten presented the results of the HOPE study (HIV Open-label Prevention Extension) at the 10th IAS Conference on HIV Science in Mexico City. HOPE was designed to provide former participants of the ASPIRE Phase III study of the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring the opportunity to use the ring for one year while researchers collected additional information about its safety and how women would use it knowing it reduced the risk of HIV in ASPIRE. HOPE results indicated the ring was very well-tolerated and used persistently by women for the entire year of the study. More than 90 percent of women chose the ring at the start of the study, and the majority stuck with it for the duration of HOPE. The ring, which women can insert and replace themselves, slowly releases the antiretroviral drug dapivirine into the vagina during the month it is used. The nonprofit International Partnership for Microbicides developed the dapivirine ring and is seeking its regulatory approval.
