Any new herpes treatment on the horizon?

[jjjim15]

Anything new on the horizon that you know of thats not 10 to 15 yrs away.so to put you on the spot

[WCSDancer2010]

I don't know of anything beyond what has already been discussed here:

 

Vaccine Trials

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/comment/19425

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/comment/18967

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3786

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex_research

 

http://medcitynews.com/2014/10/herpes-vaccine-maker-genocea-reports-positive-results-year-first-dose/

 

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4774/dr-leone-enrolling-a-herpes-vaccine-research-study-and-it-pays

 

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819306

 

[seeker]

theres also some anecdotal evidence the maois help stop the reemergence of herpes. but id not worry about anything right now, just live life.

[ihaveittoo]

This sounds interesting...but its still years away...

 

 

http://www.wwltv.com/story/news/2014/12/04/breakthrough-in-herpes-treatment-may-lead-to-success-against-viruses/19917107/

[seeker]

this looks like a promising avenue for progress. not that old either. and they are using existing drugs.

 

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2014/Pages/LSD1.aspx

[seeker]

there is something I noticed on the linked website, vis a vis what dancer says, almost 80+% of the articles about research are related to HIV, so that KILLER is where the research is at and far more needed.

[Beachdude1984]

I'm interested in learning more about this:

 

http://medcitynews.com/2014/10/startup-using-gates-funded-research-develop-herpes-hiv-vaccines-raising-12m/

 

 

[whitedaisies]

What does it mean "bringing to the clinic"...meaning ready for trials? So h is 4 years away from going to trials and it will be another 5 years likely after that?

[Beachdude1984]

What does it mean "bringing to the clinic"...meaning ready for trials? So h is 4 years away from going to trials and it will be another 5 years likely after that?

 

Ordinarily, when the words "clinically available" are used in this context, it means the drug is commercially available and accessible by the public. However, in this situation, since there is no mention of ongoing human trials, I'm assuming the words "bringing to the clinic" mean that is when the human trials will begin. I could be wrong, and I intend to do more research. Typically all 3 three phases take 5-6 years to complete, then another year for FDA approval and mass production before it is readily available.

 

The fact that they have secured full funding and partnered with a large pharma company is great news and ensures the process will go as smoothly and quickly as possible.

[whitedaisies]

Thanks. Funding is a huge obstacle that they overcame. So it's positive

[seeker]

@beachdude you seem to be fairly knowledgeable in this field so I want to propose a question ( I wish we still had cityofangels around for this sort of discussion), I had one of those " be careful what you wish for" moments while looking @ at vaccine info. lets say a really good therapeutic comes along, reduces shedding 90%, OBs by 95%, lowers load to almost non transmittable. Then a few years later an actual cure comes along, however, lo and behold, whatever mechanism the therapeutic uses makes the cure non viable for those who have taken it! is that even possible??? I know one of the key avenues being looked at for a herpes specific cure is trying to turn off its ability to fool the body into leaving it be in the nerve. seems like if its forced into a state of dormancy by another avenue that could be blocked.

 

@whitedaisies, yes its gonna be at least 5 years for the ones in ph2 trials and that's if they make it thru ph 3. it seems like several different groups are going down that avenue in beachdudes link so there must be some viability in it. however, every time there is a real emergency herpes gets put on the back burner. the link I had was to a site showing various medical research projects and as I said 80% were for HIV but looking at it, there were ebola, hantavirus, MERSA,SARS, etc interspersed. those cause death and should get bumped to the forefront, my little rash isn't worth someone's life

[WCSDancer2010]

however, every time there is a real emergency herpes gets put on the back burner. the link I had was to a site showing various medical research projects and as I said 80% were for HIV but looking at it, there were ebola, hantavirus, MERSA,SARS, etc interspersed. those cause death and should get bumped to the forefront, my little rash isn't worth someone's life

 

This is what I keep trying to get people to understand. Sure, one day, we may have a cure.... however, with regards to how "important" Herpes is to researchers, we come well down the list of what needs to be addressed first. I personally believe the cure will come on the heels of a HIV or Lyme Disease cure ...both of those diseases manage to be very effective at "hiding" and thus avoiding being killed off, but they also both have far bigger implications for the carrier ... so they will get more funding. With luck, if/when they figure out how to get them to come out from hiding, researchers will be able to use that knowledge to get Herpes to do the same ... many cures come on the heels of other research, and I think right now that is our best bet for an actual cure.

 

Our ONE card that *may* get some researchers to take HSV more seriously is the mental anguish that it causes many ... but to get them to pay attention to that we need people to come forward and seek treatment for that so that the connection is made ... and it will take a lot of people for someone to make that connection. AND, that mental anguish could likely be greatly reduced with better public education and more open dialogue ... so it's pretty much a wildcard in the medical world that I wouldn't bet on :(

[whitedaisies]

It's sad how so many people struggle with this and yet it remains to get pushed aside.

 

The emotional toll this takes on some is very significant and even with support is difficult depending on how severe ur symptoms are and how often you have prodomes and outbreaks.

 

I have been dedicated to emotional growth and healing jut with constant h reminders it always sets me back

 

I really wish that the emotional component of h would be factored in to funding and research efforts.

[whitedaisies]

Thanks for the clarifications @Dancer, @seeker and @Beachdude1984.

[WCSDancer2010]

It's sad how so many people struggle with this and yet it remains to get pushed aside.

 

The emotional toll this takes on some is very significant and even with support is difficult depending on how severe ur symptoms are and how often you have prodomes and outbreaks.

 

I have been dedicated to emotional growth and healing jut with constant h reminders it always sets me back

 

I really wish that the emotional component of h would be factored in to funding and research efforts.

 

Honey - I've seen several people struggle with Chronic Lyme Disease ... I can tell you that JUST.ONE.DAY. in their shoes would make you eternally grateful for having HSV. I get it that it's frustrating to be in your shoes ... but believe me, those other diseases that are ahead of Herpes have FAR bigger physical and emotional implications.

 

I am convinced that if we can get a better public conversation around Herpes, a lot of the emotional component will be removed. Yes, it will still be frustrating for those who have pains and such, but the emotional issues caused by the stigma (which I believe are generally deeper than those caused by the pain) are totally unnecessary ... and no drug will remove them. Only education and understanding will deal with that part.

[WCSDancer2010]

Just as reality check of what a "Cure" may cost you when it comes:

 

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/pharma-drug-bankrupting-america

 

In the first year of marketing, Sovaldi and Harvoni are already blockbusters, reaping a remarkable $12.4 billion of market sales in 2014, more in just one year than the $11.2 billion price that Gilead paid in January 2012 to buy sofosbuvir from a biotech start-up named Pharmasett.

 

The standard defense by the drug companies of these astronomical prices is that drug discovery is costly and their high profits reimburse the R&D costs. Here is where the story of Sovaldi gets even more interesting. The total private-sector outlays on R&D were perhaps $300 million, and almost surely under $500 million, meaning that the decade-long R&D outlays were likely recouped in a few weeks of drug sales.

[seeker]

yeppers, they are allowed to have a paten for 17 years and they get to set the cost. when one of the rx allergy meds was going to become available for generic version about 6-8 years ago the pharma company that made them tried to get congress to extend the paten. thankfully it didn't. pre cost to consumer was almost 5$ a pill, generic price almost the day it went to market, $.5 a pill. now its even cheaper. I believe it was Claritin and it can be bought for maybe $.1 a pill.

[whitedaisies]

Yes cost for a cure will definitely be large at first and the wealthy will likely just be able to afford but as the companies get back the huge initial investment price will decrease....same with other technologies:...new technology comes out. Its economics.

 

 

[fitgirl]

While we all hope for a "cure" it might be better served to put our energy into the here and now, that is what we have direct control over. Hypothesize and hope for a cure for herpes but in the big picture, support and management for those who contract it would be a far more effective and realistic focus where our efforts will have immediate and life changing impact. We aren't dying of herpes, merely dealing with it. There are MANY other diseases that require a cure to save lives.

[WCSDancer2010]

I agree @fitgirl .. I say that every day ...

 

My point of the link I posted is that the cure for Hep C is $84,000 ... I wouldn't doubt that a cure for Herpes would be in the same ballpark ... so reality is that most won't be able to afford it and with Herpes not being life threatening, I doubt that insurance companies will want to foot that bill :(

[fitgirl]

@WCSdancer2010 you say a lot of great things on this forum every day! Your patience is amazing :)

[whitedaisies]

Not to be doom and gloom but herpes is life threatening. Some people get meningitis from it. So yes that's a minority and yes not our focus. I agree totally.

 

But we also should not disregard those who have a rougher time with herpes Health wise

 

And it also doesn't mean we can't have a discussion about it either.

 

Focus on support, education, kindness, etc but there is also room for discussion and research on cures. We can hve it all.

 

Jut because we discuss cures doesnt mean we can't do other things.

[whitedaisies]

I get we are supposed to tell people dot hold your breath and wait for one. Live your live, try to cope and deal....totally get that and that's what I am doing.

 

But it is also nice to have a scientific discussion about it along with the reality of economics. Helps to build knowledge in every way.

 

I don't disagree with anything you are saying.

 

My body reacted horribly, lots of people do if you count the millions who have herpes, I am one of many and I am sure some people had it even worse than I did. I empathize and find compassion in their need to gain knowledge in the virus in all respects.

 

 

[fitgirl]

Yep, you are correct. Hope and research and discussion is all good. The point was.... helping people manage the symptoms and emotional scars right NOW is exactly why we are on this forum. You cannot control what the "powers that be" will research and fund but you can control how you deal with and manage your life with herpes right now. If we don't have a cure, we need to put our energy into supporting those living with it until we do.

[chikitta13]

I was just listening to a podcast on the cure for Hep C on Saturday, and of course it made me think of what a HSV cure would cost (whenever that might happen). And what would I do if that ever became an option?? Even though it's an expensive drug upfront, what about the long-term? And I wonder if it is different those who are just adjusting to HSV. I'm still feeling the effects of the virus pretty much daily. And although it's not life threatening for me, it is certainly life altering. Up until this experience, I was an extremely healthy person. I rarely got sick, had a lot of energy, and felt strong. I do not feel that right now. I often feel rundown and unable to concentrate. Not to mention pretty consistent prodrome and discomfort, despite antivirals. It's hard not to think about what I would do to make this actually go away. And that's not even getting into the psychological. Either way, I know (or hope) that this will all pass and I will begin to feel "normal" again someday, hopefully soon. And I certainly won't be holding my breath for a cure or vaccine anytime soon. I think it is important to focus on the here and now, but it is certainly an interesting discussion, and one worth having. Not just about HSV but about how we care for our health in general.

 

Anyway, the podcast is worth a listen. It's a pretty interesting story overall and raises some great questions about quality of life and health.

 

http://www.radiolab.org/story/worth/