Univ. Researchers Develop Dry Powder HPV Vaccine

(Rainer Zenz/Wikimedia Commons)

A new targeted, inhalable dry-powder human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, according to its developers,  can help overcome resistance from needle avoidance and offer better logistics than the current commercial HPV vaccine used worldwide.

HPV is the number one cause of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women around the globe. According to the World Health Organization, more than a quarter of a million women die each year from cervical cancer, 80 percent of them in developing countries.

Lead researcher and graduate student David McAdams from the University of Colorado at Boulder created with colleagues a dry powder that goes directly to the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract or mouth. Since HPV is a disease that affects the mucous membranes, the powder is considered more targeted.

The dry powder has added benefits. The current HPV vaccine is delivered by a needle injection, which is highly susceptible to contamination, particularly in developing countries. Also, because the powder is a solid rather than a frozen liquid, it may be more stable than current HPV vaccines, making it easier to store and transport.

McAdams is presenting his findings at the 2010 FIP Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress in association with the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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