Recent Progress in the Application of Nanotechnology for Prevention and Treatment of Human Papillomavirus Infection

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes benign and malignant infections of the anogenital tract. Cervical cancer, caused by high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 56 and 58, is the second most common cancer in women and the fifth most common cancer overall. Prevention and treatment of HPV infection may be revolutionized using nanotechnology tools such as vaccines based on virus-like particles and nanoscale drug-delivery systems. Advances in both virus-like particle design and noninvasive delivery of antiviral protein drugs, such as IFNalpha, may provide new opportunities to take on the challenge of global elimination of HPV infections. Biphasic vesicle cream formulation, representing a new class of dermal delivery system for protein drugs, is an alternative to injectable dosage form to deliver IFNalpha for the treatment of HPV infections, showing efficacy in low-grade squamous epithelical lesions of the cervix.