Strategies for human papillomavirus therapeutic vaccines and other therapies based on the E6 and E7 oncogenes.

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) are one of the most devastating oncogenic viruses worldwide and have been causally linked with the development of human cervical cancer. Several prophylactic and therapeutic clinical HPV vaccine trials are in progress. Although prophylactic vaccines are useful in preventing the incidence of cervical cancer, the elimination of existing HPV infections needs to be addressed, because cervical cancer is the leading female cancer in developing countries. Several different and encouraging strategies have been investigated in a preclinical and clinical setting for the treatment and elimination of existing HPV-induced infection. This review summarizes the therapeutic clinical trials and the different preclinical research strategies that are under investigation whereby HR-HPV E6 and E7 oncogenes are delivered in a nucleic acid form, in viral and bacterial vectors, or as peptide- and protein-based vaccines.