The Gattefossé Foundation provides financial support to Professor Simon Benita’s research at the University of Jerusalem, aimed at improving AIDS antiretroviral treatment of HIV-positive children.


This funding covers the initial phase of the project to develop a new oral-route paediatric galenical form based on liponavir stealth nanocapsules in order to improve antiretroviral treatment of HIV-positive children, without resorting to ritonavir (a protease inhibitor). Ritonavir is a molecule necessary today for the absorption of liponavir, but it has many drawbacks for the patient, including low tolerance in the gastrointestinal tract.

This research, if successful, will reduce the side effects of the treatment by reducing the quantity of drug administered and the number of daily doses required. It will also reduce costs and thus increase amounts of paediatric treatment. AIDS remains a very serious threat today for HIV-positive children in low-income countries. Of more than 2.5 million children with AIDS in 2006—90% of them in Sub-Saharan Africa—only 15% were treated.

"Thanks to the support of the Gattefossé Foundation we'll be able to start this project with its major humanitarian implications that will face one of the greatest therapeutic challenges for whole populations—especially children—in developing countries".
Simon Benita