RVx-201 is a treatment vaccine developed by Rational Vaccines. The company expects to launch phase 1 clinical trials before the end of 2022. It also uses mRNA technology to prevent infection. BNT163īioNTech’s HSV-2 vaccine (BNT163) seems to be further along in the process. But this has yet to be confirmed in people. So far, animal studies suggest the vaccine may trigger a strong immune response against the virus. Although it’s still in preclinical development, Moderna is working on an mRNA HSV-2 vaccine known as “mRNA-1608.” Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology has shown potential for vaccines against several types of infections - including HSV. And it may have potential as a treatment vaccine, too. It would be studied for the prevention of HSV-1 and HSV-2. If approved, the vaccine could begin clinical trials in people. In 2021, X-Vax Technology announced it would be submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application to the FDA. But this vaccine removes that protein, triggering a different type of immune response that may be more effective. Other vaccines have targeted a protein on the virus needed to enter and infect your cells. X-Vax Technology has developed an HSV vaccine that works differently than other vaccines studied in the past. They would train your immune system to prevent an HSV infection if you were exposed to the virus in the future. Preventative vaccines: These vaccines would benefit people who haven’t been exposed to HSV. They could improve symptoms, help blisters heal faster, and lower the risk of spreading the virus to other people. Treatment vaccines: These vaccines would benefit people who’ve already been infected with HSV. There are two types of HSV vaccines being studied: But since the viruses are so similar, an HSV-2 vaccine would also likely work to prevent or treat HSV-1, too. ![]() Most are being developed for HSV-2 since it can cause more dangerous infections. Yes, vaccines are currently being researched to target both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Are there any herpes (HSV) vaccines currently being studied? Even though earlier studies didn’t work out, several vaccines are still being tested. People who participated in the vaccine trials didn’t have many side effects. Human studies of several vaccines have occurred in the last few years. Has an HSV vaccine ever been tested on humans? That’s when pharmaceutical companies have to restart their research attempts. But when these vaccines were studied in humans, they didn’t work as well. HSV vaccine studies in animals have had good results. If the immune system doesn’t react to HSV right away, a vaccine cannot teach your body how to protect you. The vaccine then teaches your body how to kill the invader before it makes you sick. When scientists make vaccines, they target the part of your immune system that recognizes an invader - like a virus or bacteria - has entered your body. The longer the virus goes undetected, the more difficult it is to make an effective vaccine. This means your immune system doesn’t react to them right away. Herpesviruses can live in your body undetected. ![]() Why is creating an HSV vaccine so difficult? This has prompted research into whether a vaccine for these viruses is possible. And condoms may not cover all areas where genital blisters appear to avoid transmitting the infection to your partner. However, some people may find that available medications don’t work well for them. And some people take them daily to prevent outbreaks, too. These medications can help resolve blisters when they appear. Until then, HSV infections are managed with prescription antiviral medications, like Valtrex (valacyclovir) or Zovirax (acyclovir). However, researchers are hoping that gene therapy could potentially open the door for a future herpes cure. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for herpes. Varicella-zoster virus (causes “ chicken pox” and “ shingles”)Įpstein-Barr virus (causes mononucleosis) But both types of HSV are actually part of a larger family of herpesviruses, including: When you think of herpesviruses, HSV is likely what comes to mind. In rare cases, it can cause life-threatening infections like meningitis and encephalitis. Once you’ve been infected with HSV, the virus stays in your body long term, causing sores or blisters to appear periodically (called an outbreak). ![]() HSV-2, on the other hand, primarily affects your genitals. HSV-1 infections most commonly affect your mouth, but they may also result in sores on your genitals. There are two main herpes simplex viruses - HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV is a virus that can cause painful ulcers in your mouth (“cold sores”) or on your genitals. View more medications What is the herpes simplex virus (HSV)?
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