Medications for Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare, debilitating, and potentially life-threatening disease of the upper and lower respiratory tract caused by chronic human papillomavirus (HPV) 6 or HPV 11 infection. 

RRP is characterized by papillomas (benign tumors) growing in respiratory tract, and most commonly in the larynx. RRP can lead to severe voice disturbance, compromised airway, and recurrent post-obstructive pneumonias.

Although rare, RRP has the potential for transformation to malignant cancer and can be fatal.

Management of RRP has primarily consisted of repeated surgeries which carries the risk for irreversible iatrogenic laryngeal injury. 

Papzimeos (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) is the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of adults with RRP. It is a non-replicating adenoviral vector-based immunotherapy that works in the treatment of RRP by generating an immune response directed against HPV 6 and HPV 11 proteins.