How far away is a cure for herpes?

Currently, there is no cure for either HSV-1 or HSV-2, though people with both types of herpes can take antiviral medications like Valtrex to control their symptoms and reduce their risk of transmitting the virus to their partners.

how far away is a cure for herpes?

Why is there no cure for herpes?

Most viruses attack our cells and attempt to multiply as soon as they enter our bodies. In response, our immune system releases white blood cells and antibodies to neutralize the virus and make it less harmful. Often, our immune systems can clear viruses out of our bodies, meaning we're no longer infected.

Unlike other viruses, herpes hides in the central nervous system, and our immune system can't easily access this area of our bodies. The virus can lie dormant in our central nervous systems for an extended period of time (this explains why people with herpes may go several months without any flare-ups after an initial outbreak, or never have any symptoms at all). The fact that our immune systems don't know how to protect us from herpes makes it extremely tough for scientists to make a preventive vaccine.

Have herpes & feel alone? Meet nearby people with herpes

PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.

Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse profiles and chat now!

How far away is a cure for herpes?

For the past 80 years, however, scientists have been researching possible herpes vaccines. (Note: although "cure" and "vaccine" are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same. In the case of herpes, a cure would completely eliminate the herpes virus from your body, while a vaccine would treat or prevent it.)

So far, scientists have tried to develop two types of herpes vaccines: a preventive one, which protects you from getting infected in the first place; and a therapeutic one, which would help manage symptoms in people who already have the disease and reduce the risk of outbreaks better than current antiviral medications on the market. Yet they've had little luck.

In 2016, it seemed as if we were on the cusp of a herpes vaccine when the bioscience company Genocea announced that it had completed phase 2 clinical trials for a therapeutic vaccine called GEN-003. Research showed that herpes patients were 65 percent less likely to have outbreaks after receiving the vaccine and 60 percent less likely to shed the virus through their skin even without lesions.

But lack of funding killed the project, a company spokesperson explained to MensHealth.com. In September 2017, the company stopped development of GEN-003 because they didn't have enough money to pay for phase three clinical trials, which would have been required to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is now focusing primarily on cancer research.

Will we ever get a herpes vaccine? How close are we to a successful herpes vaccine?

At the moment, there are no promising clinical trials underway for a herpes vaccine. It's unlikely that researchers could soon develop a herpes vaccine that would totally eliminate the virus from someone's system.

Where to find ongoing genital herpes research and clinical trials?

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports research to develop prevention methods and treatments for genital herpes. Details about current research efforts can be found on the NIAID website. NIH also maintains a database with information about clinical trials around the world. This database includes information on all genital herpes studies that are actively recruiting volunteers.

Do not be judged by others! Meet nearby people with herpes

Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse profiles and chat now!

Know more facts about herpes outbreak: