Engineered chewing gum cuts oral HPV levels by 93% in early tests

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, headed by Henry Daniell, have developed a chewing gum that incorporates the FRIL protein found in hyacinth (lablab) beans. This protein makes viruses clump together and prevents them from entering cells, also inhibiting viruses already inside cells. In laboratory tests, the gum lowered oral HPV levels in saliva by 93%, targeting several microbes linked to oral cancer.

The formulation uses only a small amount of bean powder, keeping production costs at a few pennies per piece. The team is awaiting FDA approval to begin a four-week clinical trial in which participants would chew the gum three times daily alongside conventional treatments such as radiation and surgery. If successful, the product could eventually be sold over the counter as a low-cost, natural adjunct therapy.