WHO preferred product characteristics for therapeutic HPV vaccines

Overview

Therapeutic vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV) are currently in development and could be an important new tool in the fight against cervical cancer. Unlike existing prophylactic HPV vaccines, which prevent new infections, therapeutic vaccines would be designed to clear or treat existing HPV infections or HPV-associated precancers or cancers.

WHO preferred product characteristics (PPCs) provide strategic guidance as to WHO’s preferences for new vaccines in priority disease areas. PPCs are intended to encourage innovation and development of vaccines for use in settings most relevant to the global unmet public health need.

Therapeutic HPV vaccine PPCs describe global public health goals and use cases for therapeutic vaccines designed to clear HPV infections or treat associated precancers, and they outline preferred vaccine parameters such as vaccine indications, target populations, safety and efficacy considerations, and immunization strategies.