DEFLAGYN® Vaginal Gel and Spontaneous Remission and Regression of Unclear Cervical Smears and HPV High-risk Infections

NCT05509413 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HPV-VG1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 242
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common sexually transmitted pathogens worldwide and in most cases are causally associated with the development of cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in women and one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide. Precancerous lesions (dysplasias) or the presence of a high-risk HPV subtype are detected by a screening smear test performed by a gynecologist. If precancerous lesions are detected, conization (= surgical removal of a cone of tissue from the cervix) is the method of choice for removing the diseased tissue. However, if the degree of dysplasia is correspondingly low or the smear is unclear, then the guideline-compliant non-surgical treatment provides for a wait-and-see approach with PAP and HPV smear control after 6-8 months. This "wait-and-see" approach can be complemented by local therapy with an immunostimulant. For this purpose, DEFLAGYN® (a vaginal gel containing silica and citric acid) and Aldara® (imiquimod, a Toll-Like Re-ceptor 7 antagonist) are available. However, while the latter is not approved for the treatment of cervical dysplasia or HPV infection, DEFLAGYN® has CE marking and approval as a medical device for treatment in a number of indications, such as unclear cervical smears, HPV-induced cervical lesions, p16/Ki-67-positive cervical lesions or cervical erosions. However, available studies on the efficacy of DEFLAGYN are limited. For example, there is only one prospective randomized trial (Major et al, 2021, Arch. Gynecol. Obstet. 303:501-511), which included 216 women with histologically confirmed CIN 1/2. A 3-month intravaginal application of DEFLAGYN® resulted in regression of CIN 1/2 in 72% versus 25% in the control arm (no intervention). Side effects of therapy with DEFLAGYN® were not observed in this study. Due to the frequency of CIN and HPV infections in the female population and due to the high medical relevance of a conservative method of treating this disease, further methodologically high-quality studies on the efficacy of DEFLAGYN® should be performed.

Conditions

Cervix Dysplasia; HPV Infection

Keywords

cervical dysplasia; unclear cytology; HPV infection

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Rate of hr-HPV-positive cervical smears

  The rate of hr-HPV-positive findings after 3 months.

  3 months after initial examination/study inclusion

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Rate of hr-HPV-positive cervical smears

  6 months after initial examination/study inclusion

• Rate of progression

  3 and 6 months after initial examination/study inclusion

• Rate of newly diagnosed dysplasia

  3 and 6 months after initial examination/study inclusion

• Complications

  From study inclusion/treatment start until the 3-month-follow up visit

Other Outcomes (1)

• Patients' Satisfaction

  3 and 6 months after initial examination/study inclusion

Study Arms (2)

Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

Wait-and-see approach.

DEFLAGYN Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

Application of DEFLAGYN vaginal gel for 3x 28days (as per instructions provided by the manufacturer)

Device: DEFLAGYN vaginal gel

Interventions

DEFLAGYN vaginal gel DEVICE

DEFLAGYN is a vaginal gel, classified as a medical device, containing silica and citric acid, which binds pathogens, inhibits their spread and exerts an antioxidant effect. It is applied intravaginally (through an applicator) and used for 3 months.

DEFLAGYN Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Written consent
• Unclear cervical smear (ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, HSIL or PAP II-p, PAP III-p, PAP IIID1, PAP IIID2 (Munich III) or PAP III, PAP IIID, PAP I + HPV high-risk infection)

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy
• Known hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of the vaginal gel
• Insufficient knowledge of the German language
• Pre-existing oncological diseases

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ruhr University of Bochum: lead

Study Sites (1)

Marien Hospital Herne

Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, 44625, Germany

Location

Related Publications (12)

• Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, Johnston CM, Muzny CA, Park I, Reno H, Zenilman JM, Bolan GA. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021 Jul 23;70(4):1-187. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1.

  PMID: 34292926 BACKGROUND

• Chesson HW, Dunne EF, Hariri S, Markowitz LE. The estimated lifetime probability of acquiring human papillomavirus in the United States. Sex Transm Dis. 2014 Nov;41(11):660-4. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000193.

  PMID: 25299412 BACKGROUND

• Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018 Nov;68(6):394-424. doi: 10.3322/caac.21492. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

  PMID: 30207593 BACKGROUND

• Mathevet P, Chemali E, Roy M, Dargent D. Long-term outcome of a randomized study comparing three techniques of conization: cold knife, laser, and LEEP. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2003 Feb 10;106(2):214-8. doi: 10.1016/s0301-2115(02)00245-2.

  PMID: 12551795 BACKGROUND

• Bevis KS, Biggio JR. Cervical conization and the risk of preterm delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Jul;205(1):19-27. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.01.003. Epub 2011 Feb 23.

  PMID: 21345402 BACKGROUND

• Jin G, LanLan Z, Li C, Dan Z. Pregnancy outcome following loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2014 Jan;289(1):85-99. doi: 10.1007/s00404-013-2955-0. Epub 2013 Jul 11.

  PMID: 23843155 BACKGROUND

• Khalid S, Dimitriou E, Conroy R, Paraskevaidis E, Kyrgiou M, Harrity C, Arbyn M, Prendiville W. The thickness and volume of LLETZ specimens can predict the relative risk of pregnancy-related morbidity. BJOG. 2012 May;119(6):685-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03252.x. Epub 2012 Feb 14.

  PMID: 22329499 BACKGROUND

• Shaco-Levy R, Eger G, Dreiher J, Benharroch D, Meirovitz M. Positive margin status in uterine cervix cone specimens is associated with persistent/recurrent high-grade dysplasia. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2014 Jan;33(1):83-8. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e3182763158.

  PMID: 24300540 BACKGROUND

• Preaubert L, Gondry J, Mancini J, Chevreau J, Lamblin G, Atallah A, Lavoue V, Caradec C, Baldauf JJ, Bryand A, Henno S, Villeret J, Agostini A, Douvier S, Jarniat A, Riethmuller D, Mendel A, Brun JL, Rakotomahenina H, Carcopino X. Benefits of Direct Colposcopic Vision for Optimal LLETZ Procedure: A Prospective Multicenter Study. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2016 Jan;20(1):15-21. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000156.

  PMID: 26704328 BACKGROUND

• Kuhn W. [Colposcopy in the diagnosis of early cervical cancer]. Pathologe. 2011 Nov;32(6):497-504. doi: 10.1007/s00292-011-1480-9. German.

  PMID: 21984389 BACKGROUND

• Major AL, Dvorak V, Schwarzova J, Skrivanek A, Malik T, Pluta M, Mayboroda I, Grandjean EM. Efficacy and safety of an adsorbent and anti-oxidative vaginal gel on CIN1 and 2, on high-risk HPV, and on p16/Ki-67: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Feb;303(2):501-511. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05816-8. Epub 2020 Nov 20.

  PMID: 33219482 BACKGROUND

• Major AL, Skrivanek A, Grandjean EM, Dvorak V, Malik T, Pluta M, Mayboroda I. An Adsorptive and Antioxidant Vaginal Gel Clears High-Risk HPV- and p16/Ki-67-Associated Abnormal Cytological Cervical Findings: A post-hoc Subgroup Analysis of a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial on CIN2 and p16 Positive CIN1. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 May 25;8:645559. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.645559. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 34113633 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• German S3 Guidelines

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Uterine Cervical Dysplasia; Papillomavirus Infections

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Precancerous Conditions; Neoplasms; Uterine Cervical Diseases; Uterine Diseases; Genital Diseases, Female; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Communicable Diseases; Infections; DNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Tumor Virus Infections; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Clemens B Tempfer, MD, MBA

  Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Marien Hospital Herne

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologiy

Model Details: 1:1 randomization into a control arm (wait-and-see) and a treatment arm (vaginal gel)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2022
• First Posted: August 22, 2022
• Study Start: November 8, 2022
• Primary Completion: May 23, 2025
• Study Completion: August 28, 2025
• Last Updated: November 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, ICF, CSR
• Time Frame: After publication of the study results, no time limit.
• Access Criteria: Reasonable request, approval of the intended study by an independent review committee identified for this purpose.

Locations

DE (1)