Potential Treatment for HPV

[Suvash]

A new inhibitor of the human papilloma virus was uncovered in a recent study at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md.

HPV infects the skin and causes conditions such as genital warts and cervical cancer. The recently found inhibitor is a compound called carrageenan, which can be found in everyday products like baby food and sexual lubricants.

"Although carrageenan was identified in a systematic screen, the serendipity that this seaweed-derived compound is already used in over-the-counter products for genital application is really quite amazing," says John Schiller, Ph.D., senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute.

Carrageenan is effective because it connects to HPV and prevents the virus from entering cells. Dr. Schiller says it works better than any inhibitor researchers have come across thus far.

The compound could be used in the future with the currently existing HPV vaccine. The vaccine works for some strains of the virus but not all.

"Our results do not prove that carrageenans will work as a practical HPV topical microbicide," says Dr. Schiller. He adds it will be necessary to have "a controlled clinical trial before use of any of these products as an HPV inhibitor could be recommended."