Penn develops HPV-targeting chewing gum

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Henry Daniell, developed a bioengineered chewing gum made from lablab beans that targets microbes associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In laboratory tests on oral samples from patients, extracts from the gum reduced human papillomavirus (HPV) levels by 93% in saliva and 80% in oral rinse samples. The gum also contained protegrin-1, an antimicrobial peptide that nearly eliminated Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, two bacteria linked to poorer survival in oral cancer. The treatment preserved beneficial oral bacteria, contrasting with radiation therapy. The findings were published in Scientific Reports. The research is preclinical; no human trials have been conducted, and the gum is not commercially available. The team suggests it could become an adjunct therapy or preventive measure, pending clinical trials. The study received support from the United States — National Institutes of Health and the United States — National Cancer Institute, with collaborators from the University of Kansas Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles, and United States — Veterans Health Administration.