Cu/LDPE Composite IUD | The Contraceptive Pipeline Database

Product Overview

Alternative Name: Nanocomposite Copper (Cu) IUD

Development Status: Limited Market Approval

Target: Female

Mode: Non-hormonal

Delivery Type: Intrauterine

Duration Type: Long-acting

Description: A blend of copper and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposite material in an IUD shape. The new materials are designed to control the release rate of copper ions, without decreasing the efficacy of the IUD, but reducing the clinical side effects.

Updated date: May 30, 2018

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Product Details

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API): copper

Inactive material: polyethylene

Potential Multi-Purpose Technology (MPT): No

Regimen: Single insertion

Duration: 5 years

Partner: Tongji Medical College at Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Status

Project Phase: Post-development

Project Stage: Marketed

Began discovery in: 2003

Status Details:
In 2013, the Cu/LDPE Composite IUD was registered by the Chinese FDA.

Programmatic Considerations

Considerations:
Nanotechnology prevents burst release of copper ions, which should result in fewer side effects and premature removals.

After years of research on copper ion release in simulated uterine environments, animal experiments and clinical trials, the result showed that the side effect rate with the new composite product was much lower than a standard copper IUD.

Sells for approximately US $300.

Additional Information

Additional Information:
Product website

Hu XL, Wang H, et al. (2014) Alterations in the endometrium of rats, rabbits, and Macaca mulatta that received an implantation of copper/low-density polyethylene nanocomposite. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 9:1127-38.

Hu XL, He J, et al. (2013) Biological evaluation of the copper/low-density polyethylene nanocomposite intrauterine device. Plos One 8(9):e74128.

Yu J, Li J, et al. (2008) Comparative study on contraceptive efficacy and clinical performance of the copper/low-density polyethylene nanocom IUD and the copper T220C IUD. Contraception. 78:319-23.

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