Current research into novel therapeutic vaccines against cervical cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are well-known outcomes of a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Viral oncogenes expressions like E6, E7, and, recently recognized E5, lead to HPV-related malignant progression. Although HPV prevention by powerful vaccines against most frequent and oncogenic genotypes is feasible, current treatment against cervical neoplasia is distant from an ideal one. In addition, late diagnosis is commonly associated with a poor prognosis. On top of that, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgery are less effective in high-grade lesions.

Areas covered: Due to their peculiarities, HPV oncogenes represent an excellent target for cancer immunotherapy. Safety, efficacy, and potential immunogenicity are features achieved by DNA vaccines targeting HPV. The literature search has indicated that genetic immunotherapy is becoming a pharmacological tool and therapeutic option against cervical disease, as more and more DNA vaccines are reaching clinical trial phases.

Expert commentary: Among some of the promising results, a phase II randomized trial showed a clinical activity of a nucleic acid-based vaccine in HPV16 or HPV18 positive CIN patients. The concept of a synergic combination of anti-HPV DNA vaccines with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, sophisticated delivery methods, immunomodulators or immune adjuvants opens a new and interesting perspective in cervical malignancy treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Human papillomavirus
• cervical cancer
• therapeutic vaccines
• immunotherapy
• DNA vaccines
• HPV

Declaration of interest

R de Cassia Pereira de Lima is the scholarship holder supported by FACEPE (Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco). A Rayssa da Silva Melo and AP Ferreira Campos are scholarship holders supported by CAPES at Federal University of Pernambuco. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed that they are the Chief Scientific Officer of ISA Pharmaceuticals. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

Work partially funded by Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE, APQ-0562-2.02/14, APQ-0748-2.02/17), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, 401305/2014-7), and IRE/DirSci Ricerca corrente award.