Once you are infected with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), there is nothing you can do to clear the infection. However, researchers said that they have found some success in Phase 2 clinical trials of a new vaccine that can help you get rid of the virus.
Dr. Diane Harper, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan, is studying a new treatment that she hopes will help in getting rid of cervical cancer by eliminating the HPV virus that causes it.
Dr. Harper said, “Unlike chlamydia or gonorrhea where you can take an antibiotic and get cured, we don’t have anything that will get rid of HPV.”
The study included 200 women with precancerous cervical lesions. They received three injections one week apart, which included a protein that triggered an immune response.
“It activates the immune system to go in and find the cells that are infected with HPV or the cells that have started to change because of HPV and attack them,” explained Dr. Harper.
The researchers found that between 25 and 33 percent of women were cleared of cervical lesions and HPV at the end of six months.
Dr. Harper said that the new vaccine that is undergoing trials is different from the vaccine that is given to preteens to prevent HPV, called Gardasil.
The new vaccine that has been tested clears the tissue that already has been infected by the HPV. Experts said that additional clinical trails are required before the new vaccine is considered for the approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
