Cervical cancer remains one of India's biggest public health challenges, claiming the lives of thousands of women every year despite being one of the most preventable forms of cancer. Persistent infection with high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for almost all cervical cancer cases.

Although HPV vaccination and regular cervical screening have significantly reduced the disease burden in many countries, access remains uneven in India, and many women are diagnosed only after the disease has progressed.

Now, a promising homegrown innovation could eventually change how cervical precancer is treated. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has licensed SHetA2, a first-in-class anti-HPV therapeutic candidate, to Emcure Pharmaceuticals for further development and commercialisation.

Unlike existing treatments that often rely on surgical removal of precancerous tissue, SHetA2 is being investigated as a targeted therapy that may selectively eliminate HPV-driven abnormal cells while preserving healthy cervical tissue.

Experts stress, however, that this is not yet an approved medicine. The drug candidate still needs to successfully complete clinical development before it can become part of routine medical care. Even so, the development represents an important milestone in India's efforts to strengthen indigenous cancer research and improve access to innovative therapies.

SHetA2 is an investigational drug candidate being developed to treat Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN), precancerous changes in cervical cells caused by persistent high-risk HPV infection.

The candidate was developed through a collaboration between scientists at ICMR's National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) and the University of Oklahoma Stephenson Cancer Center. It has now been licensed to Emcure Pharmaceuticals for further development, manufacturing and, if approved, eventual commercialisation.

Unlike preventive HPV vaccines, SHetA2 is designed as a therapeutic intervention, aimed at women who already have HPV-related precancerous cervical lesions.

Source:Ndtv