AEGiS-CATIE: Aldara for warts?

Aldara for warts?

TreatmentUpdate84 - Vol. 9, No. 10 - pp. 3-4; December, 1997
Sean Hosein

Some types of HPV (human papilloma virus) can cause warts on the skin, others on the genitals and still others have been associated with cervical cancer. There is no cure for HPV infection but depending on the location of the wart, several treatments have been used--podofilox (Condylox), interferon-alpha and liquid nitrogen. Now researchers at the 3M company have developed a drug called Aldara (imiquimod) that helps the immune system destroy the wart. Aldara is currently licensed in the US and is expected to be approved in Canada in 1998.

Aldara is supplied as a cream and is applied directly to the wart. It causes CD8+ and CD4+ cells to produce interferon-alpha, interleukins-2 and -12, all of which together help these cells destroy the wart. These cells 'remember' their ability to attack HPV infected cells and this reduces the chances of the wart re-growing. Aldara comes in a 5% strength cream and when used in one clinical trial 3 times weekly was effective in as many as 77% of women and 40% of men in that study. In another study the results were slightly better, but that was because the cream was used daily. Everyday use, however, was associated with greater skin irritation, therefore the 3 times weekly dose is preferred.

REFERENCES:

1. Anonymous. 3M's imiquimod best topical agent for genital warts? SCRIP 1997;2269:22.

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