Bioengineered chewing gum may offer a way to fight HPV and other microbes

Researchers have developed a chewing gum from lablab beans containing the antiviral protein FRIL, which in tests reduced HPV levels by up to 93% and also lowered two cancer-linked bacteria in oral samples from head and neck cancer patients. The study, led by Henry Daniell of the University of Pennsylvania and published in Scientific Reports, suggests the gum could offer a more accessible and affordable treatment approach alongside existing therapies.