Papillomavirus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, which can lead to cervical and other cancers. The new panty liner “PadX”, which detects HPV viruses directly in menstrual blood, has been developed to help detect this risk at an early stage.
According to the WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papilloma-virus-and-cancer (World Health Organization), three million women worldwide are infected each year by the HPV virus (human papillomavirus). Innovation from Hong Kong promises to make early detection much easier: The sanitary napkin from start-up Women-X Biotech is designed to make identifying an infection easier, more accessible and at the same time reliable with 99.2 percent accuracy.
We’ve set a new standard in HPV testing, providing women with accessible, accurate and discreet health monitoring options.
I believe we have paved the way for sensing-based health product lines, paving the way for new discoveries about what menstrual blood can reveal about other risks to women’s health.
– Dr. Pui Wah Choi, Director of Women-X Biotech
The problem with conventional screening tests is that around 65 to 70% of women do not use them, mainly because of their invasive nature. This involves using a brush to collect cells from the cervical lining and cervix, which some women find uncomfortable and embarrassing.
In Germany and the United Kingdom, for example, HPV testing is generally free (depending on the frequency of testing and the age of the patient). In other countries, the test can be relatively expensive, around $120 in Hong Kong, unlike the PadX HPV kit, which is reportedly available for around $75, but isn’t exactly cheap either. Once ordered, the tampons will be delivered by mail and the test results will be available online within a few days. The exact launch date is not yet known.
This is how the PadX works
The development of a special polymer has created a material that specifically binds certain proteins found in menstrual blood. This polymer has a porous structure that acts like a molecular sponge. When menstrual fluid comes into contact with the polymer, the desired proteins are selectively retained in the pores of the material. These enriched proteins can then be analyzed using standard biochemical methods to identify possible diseases.
Limited preventive vaccination
In 2020, the World Health Organization set global targets for early detection of HPV infections and developed measures for prophylactic vaccination against cervical cancer and its precursors against cervical cancer. the uterus and its precursors, which every country should achieve by 2030. The vaccine has been used for about 17 years to protect against certain cancers and their precursors.
However, the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV and cannot replace cervical cancer screening. Researchers around the world are working on different early detection options. For example, the British company Daye offers an at-home HPV test in the form of a swab, and doctoral student Sânziana Foia is currently developing another innovation, the Papcup.
