Clinical Testing Begun on Therapeutic Sponge

VLI Corp. said it has begun the third phase of clinical tests on its therapeutic sponge for treatment of bacterial vaginosis, a vaginal infection that the company says afflicts up to 10 million women a year.

Irvine-based VLI, maker of the Today vaginal contraceptive sponge, said the therapeutic sponge will be tested on about 600 patients at 18 to 20 clinical centers around the nation during the next several months. The trials are the final phase of testing required before the company can file for approval of the product from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

VLI said it expects to begin selling the therapeutic sponge internationally in 1987 and in the United States in 1988.

VLI posted a 1985 net loss of $1.4 million compared to a net loss of $6.1 million for the prior year.