MTN-020, or ASPIRE (A Study to Prevent Infection with a Ring for Extended Use), was a Phase III study to determine whether a vaginal ring containing the ARV drug dapivirine is a safe and effective method for protecting against the sexual transmission of HIV when used by women for a month at a time. ASPIRE enrolled 2,629 sexually active HIV-negative women ages 18-45 and was conducted between 2012-2015 at 15 clinical research sites in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Results, reported in 2016, found HIV risk was reduced by 27 percent overall and no safety concerns. HIV risk was cut by more than half (56 percent) in women older than 21, who also appeared to use the ring most consistently. Results of an exploratory analysis reported at AIDS 2016 found the level of HIV protection for those who used the ring most consistently was at least 56 percent and as high as 75 percent or more with near perfect use.
Results
24-October-2018
23-October-2018
Women facing intimate partner violence were less likely to use vaginal ring in ASPIRE
18-October-2016
Dapivirine ring did not confer drug resistance among women who acquired HIV in ASPIRE
18-October-2016
HOPE open-label study of vaginal ring for preventing HIV begins for former ASPIRE participants
18-July-2016
18-July-2016
Dapivirine vaginal ring helped protect women against HIV in ASPIRE Phase III trial
22-February-2016
22-February-2016
22-February-2016
See Also
Two Large Studies Show IPM’s Monthly Vaginal Ring Helps Protect Women Against HIV
22-February-2016
Sister Studies: The Ring Study and ASPIRE
22-February-2016
Other Study Milestones
29-June-2015
ASPIRE Phase III trial of a vaginal ring for HIV prevention completes enrollment of 2,629 women
26-June-2014
24-July-2012
See Also