HLL Lifecare Ltd, the manufacturer of contraceptives, will soon launch next generation condoms made out of Graphene, from its state-of-the-art corporate R &D Centre (CRDC).

Graphene is a two-dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb or chicken wire structure. It is the thinnest stretchable material known and is also one of the strongest. It conducts electricity as efficiently as copper and overtakes all other materials as a conductor of heat.

Graphene-based polymer nano composites are widely explored to replace metals in the manufacture of aircraft, cars, flexible electronics, biomedical applications, among others.

Scientists at HLL wanted to bring this wonderful material into the intimate life of the people by incorporating graphene into condoms. This will allow to reduce condom thickness from about 0.07 millimetre (mm) currently to less than 0.04 mm, and increase the heat conductivity. It may also be possible to incorporate drugs into the material for reproductive health.

"Our scientist Lakshminarayanan Regupathy, who worked on this idea, and his team are already into the task," said HLL chairman and managing director Dr M Ayyappan.

The world-class CRDC, set up in 2003, has already proved to be a craddle of path-breaking innovations. Its mission is to identify and adapt/develop new technologies, products, and processes in the area of contraceptive and reproductive health care drugs, devices and immune biologicals.

The idea for the next generation condom won the prestigious endorsement from Bill & Melinda Foundation which launched recently a scout for game-changing ideas. Scientist Ragupathy along with team members A Kumaran and G Rajmohan won $100,000 in funding for this project.

Ragupathy, who works at HLL's state-of-the-art corporate R&D centre believes the improved mechanical and thermal properties of the material would result in condoms that are half as thick as those currently in use and provide greater sexual pleasure.

Ragupathy's project is among 11 innovative ideas chosen by the Foundation from among 800 applications for the Grand Challenges Exploration (GCE) grant for developing the next generation of condoms. His is the only project from India to win funding in this category; the others are from the UK, the US, South Africa and Australia.

He is the second scientist from HLL to win a grant this year from the foundation which identifies and supports individuals who are taking innovative approaches to some of the world's toughest and persistent global health and development challenges. Abi Santhosh Aprem, the deputy vice-president of CRDC, has been granted $ 860,000 for the second phase of his project to develop coated-copper T.

Aprem won a grant in 2010 for the Phase-I, in which he demonstrated that a biodegradable and bio-compatible polymer coating over the copper core could modulate the release of copper ions from the intra-uterine device (IUD). The hypothesis is that since the film gets completely eroded by 3-4 months, a controlled release of copper ions is possible from the IUD as opposed to a burst release seen in the initial months.

It would have a substantial impact in reducing side effects like heavy menstrual bleeding and pain. All toxicological evaluations were cleared by the coated-copper T device in Phase I.

In Phase II, Aprem will conduct a pilot clinical study of the coated-copper T device to compare it with the conventional copper IUD in offering reduced side effects.

The coated-copper T will be produced in a pilot scale facility at HLL Lifecare. If successful, it is expected that the acceptability of the copper IUD among women users will be increased as it is an economical, non-hormonal, reversible long term contraceptive for women across the world.