This $474,946 federal Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), supports the development of a novel, drug-free, female-initiated contraceptive device.
The key products and services to be delivered include:
- Designing a dual-compartment vaginal device that enables women to self-administer a polymeric smart fiber mat and a supplemental fluid to reconstitute a bioresponsive, acid-buffering, and mucoadhesive smart gel at the cervicovaginal junction, providing a physical and chemical barrier to pregnancy.
- Conducting in vitro testing of the device prototypes to evaluate critical performance characteristics like fiber insertion and smart gel formation.
- Soliciting user feedback through focus groups to identify human factors impacting the safety and efficacy of the multipurpose contraceptive device.
- Assessing the performance, safety, and efficacy of the optimized device in in vivo sheep model studies.
The research is intended to accelerate the development and testing of this non-hormonal, female-controlled contraceptive approach, potentially leading to an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) milestone for the medical device.
Generated 3/4/25, 2:11 AM