Current, source-linked research
Tracked HSV research programs, their trials, what the available evidence shows, and where its limits are.
Prospectus makes the program conditional on resources
This is the developer's own most recent statement of the program's condition, and it is materially weaker than its clinical-sounding descriptions elsewhere.
Further development not intended at this time
Supports a current Discontinued label without establishing scientific failure or permanent abandonment.
Developer reported Phase II figures and a breakthrough-therapy designation
These are developer statements without denominators, intervals or primary-endpoint analysis. The completion claim conflicts with the labial trial's own registry record, which still listed the trial as recruiting on 2026-09-09. HSVHQ preserves the disagreement rather than resolving it.
Identified HSV-2 STTR period ended
Does not establish completion, success, continuation, or discontinuation of the wider program.
Phase 2a dosing began
The oral program entered an efficacy-focused controlled patient stage, but no outcome was yet available.
Program directory
Use the filters to narrow programs by goal, approach, stage, status, and evidence.
Innovative Molecules GmbH · Alfasigma S.p.A.
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
The oral adibelivir program is recruiting in an integrated Phase 1b/2a recurrent genital HSV-2 study, but no public human efficacy result was identified through September 4, 2026.
Oral Phase 2a recruiting; parenteral Phase 1 authorized but initiation not identified
Sources last checked
Shanghai BDgene Co., Ltd.
Studied setting Ocular HSV
Eye-specific HSV-1 gene-editing candidate with three uncontrolled published cases and an initiated randomized Phase 2a study; no ganglionic or systemic cure established.
Phase 2 recruiting; Phase 1 registry status is stale
Sources last checked
BioNTech · University of Pennsylvania
Studied setting Prevention · Recurrent genital herpes
BioNTech is following a Phase 1 BNT163 study. Interim data show immune responses but do not establish prevention of HSV infection or disease.
Phase 1 active, not recruiting
Sources last checked
Changchun BCHT Biotechnology Co., Ltd. · Zhuhai LiveRNA Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Studied setting Prevention
Changchun BCHT is sponsoring a 144-person first-in-human study of an unnamed preventive HSV-2 mRNA vaccine. The trial is underway, with no public human results.
Phase 1 underway; no public results
Sources last checked
Fred Hutch Cancer Center · Caladan Therapeutics
Studied setting Latent reservoir
Preclinical program with HSV-1 mouse latent-load and induced-shedding evidence plus an HSV-2 translational award; no named human candidate or trial, and post-award activity is unclear.
Preclinical; named HSV-2 award ended July 2026
Sources last checked
Genocea Biosciences, Inc.
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Completed Phase 2 therapeutic-vaccine program that reduced genital HSV-2 shedding against pre-vaccination baseline and was stopped in 2017 for stated financial and strategic reasons rather than a failed endpoint.
Phase 2 completed; spending ceased in 2017 and no Phase 3 was started
Sources last checked
Gilead Sciences · Assembly Biosciences
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Completed Phase 1a/1b program with a short controlled HSV-2 shedding signal; selected by Gilead for a planned Phase 2 that had not started as of September 1, 2026.
Phase 1 completed; selected for Phase 2, not yet started
Sources last checked
Gilead Sciences · Assembly Biosciences
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Completed Phase 1a/1b program with sponsor-reported interim, short-window HSV-2 shedding and lesion-rate signals at selected regimens; Gilead does not intend further development at this time.
Phase 1 completed; Gilead does not intend further development at this time
Sources last checked
GSK
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Completed randomized Phase 1/2 therapeutic-vaccine program that did not meet its HSV-2 recurrence objective and was not advanced to Phase 3.
Phase 1/2 completed; not advanced to Phase 3
Sources last checked
Heidelberg ImmunoTherapeutics GmbH
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes · Recurrent orolabial herpes
Experimental anti-HSV glycoprotein B antibody with two negative Phase 2 primary outcomes and no confirmed next development step.
Two Phase 2 studies ended; both missed their primary efficacy goal and the next program step is unclear
Sources last checked
GSK · National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Studied setting Prevention
Preventive HSV-2 vaccine whose pivotal Phase 3 trial in 8323 women missed its primary endpoint and showed no protection against HSV-2, alongside a significant secondary result against HSV-1.
Phase 3 completed; worldwide development stopped in 2010
Sources last checked
Phaeno Therapeutics · Medshine Discovery
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes · Recurrent orolabial herpes
China-only Phase 2 program whose only efficacy figures are the developer's own summaries, with the registry and the developer disagreeing over whether the second Phase IIa trial is finished.
Phase 2; one Phase IIa completed on the registry, a second registered as recruiting
Sources last checked
KBio Inc
Studied setting Prevention
Completed Phase 1 vaginal antibody film that established delivery and short-term safety in 38 women without measuring any acquisition or transmission outcome.
Phase 1 completed in 2018; no later study identified and no statement that development stopped
Sources last checked
Moderna
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Moderna's therapeutic mRNA vaccine for recurrent genital HSV-2 completed one Phase 1/2 study. The company discontinued the program in 2025 and later reported no current plans for future development.
Phase 1/2 completed; development ended
Sources last checked
NanoViricides · TheraCour Pharma
Studied setting Recurrent orolabial herpes · Recurrent genital herpes
Preclinical skin cream whose lead indication is shingles, not herpes simplex, with no human study identified through 2026-09-09 and a stronger HSV claim in the developer's latest quarterly report than its annual reports support.
Preclinical; no application to begin human testing reported filed since a 2019 regulatory meeting for the shingles indication
Sources last checked
AiCuris Anti-infective Cures AG · Asahi Kasei Corporation
Studied setting Refractory HSV
Completed Phase 3 study with a positive lesion-healing endpoint in a narrow refractory-HSV population; US application reported under Priority Review and not approved as of September 1, 2026.
Phase 3 completed; US application under Priority Review
Sources last checked
Rational Vaccines, Inc.
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
Rational Vaccines describes RVx-201 as an investigational preclinical therapeutic HSV vaccine. Historical uncontrolled human exposures did not establish authorized clinical-stage evidence.
Developer-described as investigational and preclinical; historical unauthorized human exposures preserved separately
Sources last checked
Genesis Life Science · UBP Greater China (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Studied setting Recurrent genital herpes
UB-621 completed a 15-person healthy-volunteer Phase 1 study. Three Phase 2 protocols are registered, but no checked evidence established that any began enrollment.
Phase 1 completed; Phase 2 filing planned, with older Phase 2 records stale
Sources last checked
Reading the tracker
Stage describes where development stands. Status describes whether credible evidence indicates activity, completion, uncertainty, or an end to development.
Evidence maturity describes the kind of evidence available. None of these labels is an optimism score.
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