(12 Sep 2001)

While many people with genital herpes are happy with the safe and effective treatment available today, others are looking for something more: a cure or an effective vaccine, or form of therapy, which does not need to be taken daily for an extended period of time. A number of new therapies are currently in development.

For many years, episodic and suppressive therapies have been the only options on offer for people with genital herpes. These treatments are safe and effective, although many of those with herpes are asking: ‘When will a vaccine be available on the market?’ or ‘When will there be a cure for herpes which frees me from the worry that I may infect my partner?’

New research suggests that other choices may become available in the future. Some encouraging results have been achieved with vaccines. Also promising are a new class of medicines called immune response modifiers.

Immune Response Modifiers

For genital herpes, it is believed that a new drug, resiquimod, which is currently undergoing clinical trials worldwide, may be a beneficial treatment option. Resiquimod is an immune response modifier (IRM). There is already an IRM on the market for the treatment of genital warts, imiquimod, which is sold under the trade name of Aldara(R). This drug has changed the life of many people with recalcitrant warts and it is also hoped that imiquimod may be useful for treating other diseases.

It is not known whether IRMs can prevent asymptomatic shedding, which is responsible for the vast majority of transmission of genital herpes. Research to answer this question is currently underway. Asymptomatic shedding is the means by which an infected individual with no symptoms of the disease can still pass on the virus to others.