OBJECTIVE:

To assess the immunogenicity of different types of therapeutic vaccines and their effect on human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions after application. In addition, to analyze the safety studies and prospects of therapeutic HPV vaccines.

METHODOLOGY:

Retrospective study based on a systematic literature search of the PubMed database, with no publication date restrictions. Inclusion criteria: randomized clinical trials (meta-analyses and systematic reviews). Exclusion criteria: clinical trials in the pre-clinical phase of development and publications in languages other than English or Spanish.

RESULTS:

30 articles published between 2000 and 2020 were selected. Among them, 5 randomized clinical trials with therapeutic vaccines that have already been completed or are still under study. The remaining 25 publications include: meta-analyses and systematic reviews of selected aspects with primary and secondary objectives.

CONCLUSIONS:

Therapeutic HPV vaccines are in the experimental phase; so far promising results have been achieved with some of them. Although different types of therapeutic vaccines exist, the best results have been achieved with DNA-based vaccines. The VGX-3100 and TS vaccines, in phase III, have demonstrated significant differences in viral clearance and regression of high-grade lesions in vaccinated patients. An effective therapeutic vaccine would have an immediate impact on morbidity and mortality from virus-associated lesions.