Gates Foundation to fund two Indian ideas

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced 65 grants of $100,000 each to pursue bold ideas for transforming health in developing countries. The grants support projects in 16 countries, including India.

Among the technologies that secured the grant are new technologies for contraception. One is a transcervical reversible female contraception under the alternative prevention category. Sujoy Guha of the Indian Institute of Technology will test a new transcervical contraceptive made from a polymer compound for its ability to incapacitate both sperm and ovum.

The compound is delivered to the fallopian tubes in liquid form, changed to a semi-solid form with an external application of radio frequency, and can be flushed out for fast and complete reversibility.

Another grant is for development of coated Copper T, again under the alternative prevention category. The grantee Abi Santhosh Aprem of HLL Lifecare Ltd will attempt to eliminate the side effects associated with copper T intrauterine devices by coating the copper with biodegradable polymers. The polymers prevent bulk shedding of copper ions that cause bleeding, cramping and pain, leading to increased acceptance of the device.