Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tested a bioengineered chewing gum made from bean gum and loaded with the antimicrobial peptide protegrin-1.
The gum was evaluated using oral rinse samples collected from patients with head and neck cancer.
In the samples, the formulation reduced human papillomavirus (HPV) levels by 93 percent.
It also brought two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer — Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum — down to nearly undetectable levels.
Beneficial oral microbes were not significantly affected by the treatment, according to the study.
The gum is designed to deliver the peptide directly to the oral cavity, offering a potential localized therapy.
Further research is needed to determine clinical outcomes in patients and long-term effects on the oral microbiome.
The findings were published in the journal Molecular Therapy.
Bioengineered gum could expand treatment options for oral cancer patients
This is an independent summary. The complete reporting, supporting context and any primary documents remain with The Optimist Daily.