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Feb. 8th, 2006 12:17 amFrom The Age:
Australian of the Year Ian Frazer has launched human trials of an experimental therapy for genital warts.
If the treatment proves successful, Prof Frazer and his team hope it will lead to trials of similar therapies designed to combat other human papilloma virus infections which can cause cervical, vaginal, anal and some cancers of the mouth.
Genital warts, which affect an estimated four per cent of Australians, are caused primarily by human papilloma virus (HPV), the target of Prof Frazer's breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine.
But the Scots-born doctor said that a vaccine, expected to be licensed for use in Australia this year and sold as Gardasil, was designed to be given to girls before they become sexually active and therefore, to prevent cervical cancer.
Unlike Gardasil, the new vaccine aims to treat existing HPV infection in people with recurrent genital warts rather than acting as a preventative.
It also targets different strains of HPV.
"It stimulates the immune system to fight the infection and clear it out which the patient's own immune system, without help, hasn't been able to do," Prof Frazer explained at a news conference.
"It's designed to stimulate the cells in the immune system to fight by killing the cells that are already infected with the virus." ...
...Prof Frazer said if the vaccine proved successful, scientists hoped to be able to trial a similar therapy against the HPV16 and 18 strains of the virus which cause cervical cancer.
"Ideally, we want something which we can take to the developing world and give to women without having to find out whether they're already infected or not in order to get rid of existing infections so that ... it complements the vaccine to prevent infection (Gardasil)," he said.
"The vaccine to prevent cervical cancer ... is unlikely to offer much to women who are already infected with the virus.
"If this trial is successful we hope it will lead to trials of similar vaccines designed to eradicate the infections that lead to cervical cancer.
"This is an important study on the world scene."
Australian of the Year Ian Frazer has launched human trials of an experimental therapy for genital warts.
If the treatment proves successful, Prof Frazer and his team hope it will lead to trials of similar therapies designed to combat other human papilloma virus infections which can cause cervical, vaginal, anal and some cancers of the mouth.
Genital warts, which affect an estimated four per cent of Australians, are caused primarily by human papilloma virus (HPV), the target of Prof Frazer's breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine.
But the Scots-born doctor said that a vaccine, expected to be licensed for use in Australia this year and sold as Gardasil, was designed to be given to girls before they become sexually active and therefore, to prevent cervical cancer.
Unlike Gardasil, the new vaccine aims to treat existing HPV infection in people with recurrent genital warts rather than acting as a preventative.
It also targets different strains of HPV.
"It stimulates the immune system to fight the infection and clear it out which the patient's own immune system, without help, hasn't been able to do," Prof Frazer explained at a news conference.
"It's designed to stimulate the cells in the immune system to fight by killing the cells that are already infected with the virus." ...
...Prof Frazer said if the vaccine proved successful, scientists hoped to be able to trial a similar therapy against the HPV16 and 18 strains of the virus which cause cervical cancer.
"Ideally, we want something which we can take to the developing world and give to women without having to find out whether they're already infected or not in order to get rid of existing infections so that ... it complements the vaccine to prevent infection (Gardasil)," he said.
"The vaccine to prevent cervical cancer ... is unlikely to offer much to women who are already infected with the virus.
"If this trial is successful we hope it will lead to trials of similar vaccines designed to eradicate the infections that lead to cervical cancer.
"This is an important study on the world scene."
