Second-generation prophylactic HPV vaccines: successes and challenges

• Published in: Expert review of vaccines Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 247 - 255
• Main Authors: Tyler, Mitchell, Tumban, Ebenezer, Chackerian, Bryce
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK, Ltd 01.02.2014; Taylor & Francis; Informa; Informa Healthcare
• Subjects: Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens, Viral - administration & dosage; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Capsid Proteins - administration & dosage; Capsid Proteins - immunology; cervical cancer; Cross Reactions; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; HPV; Humans; Medical sciences; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Papillomavirus Vaccines - immunology; Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Vaccination - methods; vaccines; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle - administration & dosage; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle - immunology; virus-like particles; virus-like particles; vaccines; Virus like particle; L2; Vaccine; Papovaviridae; Malignant tumor; Female genital diseases; HPV; Papillomavirus; Virus; Prevention; Immunoprophylaxis; Human papillomavirus; Uterine cervix diseases; Cervical cancer; Cancer
• ISSN: 1476-0584; 1744-8395
• DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2014.865523

The role of HPV as the causative factor in cervical cancer has led to the development of the HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. These vaccines effectively protect against two HPV types associated with 70% of cervical cancer cases. Despite this success, researchers continue to develop second-generation HPV vaccines to protect against more HPV types and allow increased uptake in developing countries. While a reformulated vaccine based on the current technology is currently in clinical trials, another strategy consists of targeting highly conserved epitopes in the minor capsid protein of HPV, L2. Vaccines targeting L2 induce broadly neutralizing antibodies, capable of blocking infection by a wide range of HPV types. Several vaccine designs have been developed to optimize the display of L2 epitopes to the immune system and to reduce the cost of manufacture and distribution. L2-based vaccines show considerable promise as a potential next-generation HPV vaccine.