Margulies, BarryFargis, Sarah E.2015-12-172015-12-172014-02-072014-01TF2013Fargishttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/2147(M.S.) -- Towson University, 2014.Genital herpes, which is typically caused by HSV-2, infects 15-25% of the population worldwide. Infection results in recurrent outbreaks of lesions in the genital area. There is no cure for herpes, but anti-herpetics have been developed to combat infection. These drugs have a low oral bioavailability, a short half-life, and poor patient compliance. To negate these issues, the TUHVL has developed an implant made with drug and the biodegradable polymer polycaprolactone (PCL). However, the ideal ratio of polymer:drug has not been established. This study aims to determine which ratio has the best release kinetics and antiviral activity. Implants were created with various polymer:drug ratios and an in vitro study was performed. Samples were collected and analyzed with HPLC to determine the release kinetics. The antiviral effectiveness was determined by monitoring cytopathic effect and plaque assays. Ultimately, we found that the 75:25 PCV implants were the most effective.application/pdfvii, 53 pagesengCopyright protected, all rights reserved.Text