Bradenton-based Continuity Biosciences has secured up to $9.6 million from the Gates Foundation to develop an implant designed to deliver HIV prevention medication for years after a single placement under the skin.
The company announced Wednesday that the funding will support the studies needed to seek federal authorization for human testing and launch its first Phase 1 clinical trial. The technology is being developed primarily for low- and middle-income countries, where patients may have difficulty getting the regular medical care required for existing HIV prevention treatments.
The implant uses microscopic channels engineered to release antiretroviral medication at a controlled rate, with the goal of maintaining protective drug levels for several years. If successful, it could offer an alternative to daily pills and long-acting injections that still require patients to return for scheduled doses.
“For many people, the challenge in HIV prevention is not the availability of effective medicines, but the burden of staying protected consistently over time,” said Ramakrishna “Krishna” Venugopalan, Continuity’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “A prevention option designed to provide protection for years could fundamentally change what is possible, particularly in communities where access to healthcare is limited.”
An estimated 1.2 million people contracted HIV worldwide in 2025, according to UNAIDS figures cited by the company. Although existing preventive medications are highly effective when taken as prescribed, keeping up with treatment can be difficult for people who must travel long distances to medical appointments or cannot reliably obtain medication.
Continuity plans to complete the laboratory and preclinical studies required to submit an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before beginning human testing. Researchers will then need to establish the implant’s safety, measure how consistently it delivers medication and determine whether it can sustain the intended drug levels over time.
The Gates Foundation grant also requires commitments to affordable access in low- and middle-income countries and knowledge sharing during development, with the aim of making the technology available to the populations it is intended to serve if testing proves successful.
The HIV program expands Continuity’s work in precision drug delivery, which includes applications in diabetes, endocrinology and cancer treatment. The company is already conducting a separate first-in-human clinical study of its iontophoretic platform for pancreatic cancer.