Research tracker · Last checked October 13, 2026
Herpes Cure and Vaccine Research Tracker (2026)
Is there a cure for herpes yet? No, but herpes research is more active than it has been in decades. This page lists every herpes treatment, vaccine and gene-editing program we could verify, with its stage and its latest public status, each linked to a primary source.
The short answer
- There is still no cure for herpes and no approved vaccine. Today’s medicines shorten and calm outbreaks, but they cannot remove the virus from the body.
- The standard pills (acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir) are still the first choice. Taken daily, they cut outbreaks for people who get them often, and daily valacyclovir lowers the chance of passing HSV-2 to a partner.
- The first new US herpes drug in decades, pritelivir (Hovilpri), was approved on October 9, 2026, but only for adults with weakened immune systems whose sores did not heal with other medicines. It is not a cure.
- Vaccines are still early. The two most advanced therapeutic vaccines (GSK and Moderna) were stopped in 2024 and 2025, and the preventive vaccines now in people are in Phase 1 safety studies.
- The next new pills for genital herpes are long-acting helicase-primase inhibitors: GS-1179 is expected to start Phase 2 by the end of 2026, and adibelivir started Phase 2a in June 2026. Gene-editing “cure” research for oral and genital herpes is still in animal studies.
Approved treatments
Beyond the standard antivirals covered in our guide to herpes antivirals, two newer drugs are approved somewhere in the world. Our Hovilpri explainer covers the US approval in detail.
| Program | What it is | Stage | Latest status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pritelivir (Hovilpri)AiCuris (now part of Asahi Kasei) | Antiviral pill (helicase-primase inhibitor)HSV-1 and HSV-2 | Approved in the US | FDA approved on October 9, 2026, only for adults with weakened immune systems whose herpes sores did not respond to acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir. Not approved for routine cold sores or genital herpes.As of Oct 2026 | FDA: Novel Drug Approvals for 2026 |
| Amenamevir (Amenalief)Maruho (Japan) | Antiviral pill (helicase-primase inhibitor)HSV-1 and HSV-2 (also shingles) | Approved in Japan only | Approved in Japan for shingles (2017) and for recurrent herpes simplex (2023), including a single-dose treatment taken at the first signs of an outbreak. Not approved in the US.As of Jun 2024 | Maruho announcement (June 2024) |
In human trials
Phase 1 tests safety in a small group, Phase 2 tests whether a treatment works, and Phase 3 confirms it in a large group before a drug can be approved. Most programs that enter Phase 1 never reach approval.
| Program | What it is | Stage | Latest status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1179 (formerly ABI-1179)Gilead Sciences, licensed from Assembly Biosciences | Once-weekly antiviral pill (helicase-primase inhibitor)Recurrent genital herpes (HSV-2) | Phase 1 done; Phase 2 next | In Phase 1b, the 50 mg weekly dose cut HSV-2 shedding by 98% compared with placebo. A Phase 2 study in recurrent genital herpes is expected to start by the end of 2026.As of Aug 2026 | Assembly Biosciences Form 10-Q, filed August 13, 2026 (SEC)ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06698575 |
| Adibelivir (IM-250)Innovative Molecules (Germany) | Antiviral pill (helicase-primase inhibitor)Recurrent genital herpes | Phase 2a | Phase 1 completed in January 2026; the first patient in the Phase 2a part was dosed in June 2026.As of Jun 2026 | Innovative Molecules: first patient dosed in Phase 2a (June 2026) |
| BNT163BioNTech | Preventive mRNA vaccineHSV-2 (preventing genital herpes) | Phase 1 | A three-part Phase 1 safety study (318 people, including a group with recurrent genital herpes) is active and no longer recruiting; primary completion is estimated for October 2026.As of Aug 2026 | BioNTech Q2 2026 quarterly report (SEC) |
| HSV-2 mRNA vaccine (name not disclosed)Changchun BCHT Biotechnology (China) | Preventive mRNA vaccineHSV-2 | Phase 1 | A Phase 1 dose-escalation study in healthy adults in Beijing (about 144 people) is enrolling by invitation.As of Jan 2026 | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07330440 |
| BD111Shanghai BDgene (China) | Gene editingHSV-1 eye infection (stromal keratitis) only | Phase 2a | The only gene-editing program for herpes in human trials, and it treats an HSV-1 eye infection, not oral or genital herpes. The trial record was last updated in May 2025.As of May 2025 | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06474442 |
| GS-5366 (formerly ABI-5366)Gilead Sciences, licensed from Assembly Biosciences | Long-acting antiviral pill (helicase-primase inhibitor)Recurrent genital herpes (HSV-2) | Phase 1 done; not advancing for now | Cut HSV-2 shedding by 94% in Phase 1b (350 mg weekly), but Gilead does not intend to develop it further at this time and chose GS-1179 instead.As of Aug 2026 | Assembly Biosciences Form 10-Q, filed August 13, 2026 (SEC)ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06385327 |
Early research (not yet in people)
| Program | What it is | Stage | Latest status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glycoprotein G-2 vaccineSimplexia (Sweden) | Vaccine (preventive and therapeutic)HSV-2 | Preclinical | Preparing a planned Phase 1/2a trial.As of Jul 2026 | Simplexia news (July 2026) |
| Prime/Pull/Keep therapeutic vaccineUniversity of California, Irvine | Therapeutic vaccineGenital herpes (HSV-2) | Preclinical | Received new National Institutes of Health research funding in June 2026.As of Jun 2026 | NIH RePORTER project 11368910 |
| Gene editing to remove dormant virusFred Hutch Cancer Center (Keith Jerome lab) | Gene editingHSV-1 and HSV-2 (animal models) | Preclinical | Research in mice aims at the dormant virus that hides in nerve cells; the latest peer-reviewed update was in September 2024. Not yet tested in people.As of Sep 2024 | PubMed 39289368 (2024) |
Stopped or stalled
These programs reached human trials but were stopped, or have shown no public progress in years. They are listed so you can recognize old headlines.
| Program | What it is | Stage | Latest status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mRNA-1608Moderna | Therapeutic mRNA vaccineRecurrent genital herpes (HSV-2) | Discontinued | Completed a Phase 1/2 study (303 people) in 2025; Moderna said in November 2025 that it will not advance to Phase 3.As of Nov 2025 | Moderna Analyst Day, November 2025 (SEC) |
| GSK3943104GSK | Therapeutic vaccineRecurrent genital herpes (HSV-2) | Discontinued | A Phase 1/2 trial did not meet its main efficacy goal in September 2024, so it will not move to Phase 3. No safety concern was seen.As of Sep 2024 | GSK announcement, September 2024 (SEC) |
| HSV529 and G103Sanofi | Therapeutic vaccinesHSV-2 | Discontinued | The trial stopped after its Phase 1 part for business reasons; results published in October 2025 reported adequate safety and T-cell responses in the G103 group.As of Oct 2025 | PubMed 41056754 (2025) |
| HDIT101Heidelberg ImmunoTherapeutics | AntibodyHSV-1 cold sores; HSV-2 | Status unknown | The cold-sore Phase 2 was stopped for futility; an HSV-2 Phase 2 finished in 2021 with no results posted.As of Sep 2023 | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04539483 |
| UB-621United BioPharma | AntibodyRecurrent genital herpes (HSV-2) | Status unknown | Phase 2 records have not been updated since 2022.As of Oct 2022 | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04979975 |
| GEN-003Genocea Biosciences | Therapeutic vaccineHSV-2 | Discontinued | The Phase 2 program ended after a 2017 business decision to stop spending on it.As of Feb 2019 | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03146403 |
Questions about herpes cure research
Is there a cure for herpes in 2026?
No. No treatment removes the herpes virus from the body. Antivirals such as valacyclovir control outbreaks and lower the risk of passing the virus on. Be wary of anyone selling a herpes cure: it is a common scam.
Is there a herpes vaccine?
Not yet. BioNTech’s BNT163 and an mRNA vaccine from Changchun BCHT are in Phase 1 safety studies. The most advanced therapeutic vaccines, from GSK and Moderna, were stopped in 2024 and 2025 after their mid-stage results.
What is Hovilpri, and can I get it?
Hovilpri (pritelivir) is a new antiviral pill approved in the US on October 9, 2026, only for adults with weakened immune systems whose herpes sores did not respond to standard antivirals. Most people with herpes are not candidates, and the standard pills remain first-line.
When will new herpes pills be available?
No one can give a date. GS-1179 is expected to start a Phase 2 study by the end of 2026. After Phase 2, a drug normally needs a large Phase 3 trial and an FDA review, which together usually take several years.
Can gene editing cure herpes?
Not yet. Gene-editing research aimed at the dormant virus in nerve cells is still in animal studies for oral and genital herpes. The only gene-editing program in human trials treats an HSV-1 eye infection.
How can I join a herpes clinical trial?
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for “herpes simplex” and filter for studies that are recruiting near you, then ask your doctor whether a study fits you. Legitimate trials never ask you to pay to take part.
Search for studies on ClinicalTrials.gov, and learn the warning signs of “herpes cure” scams.
You do not have to wait for a cure
Herpes is common and very livable with today’s treatments. Kind is a herpes dating app for people with HSV-1 or HSV-2, with photo-verified profiles and encrypted HSV details. Free while it is new.
Download the AppSources
- WHO: Herpes simplex virus fact sheet
- CDC: Genital Herpes, STI Treatment Guidelines (2021)
- Herpes Cure Advocacy: Herpes Cure Pipeline 5.0
- FDA: Novel Drug Approvals for 2026
- Maruho announcement (June 2024)
- Assembly Biosciences Form 10-Q, filed August 13, 2026 (SEC)
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06698575
- Innovative Molecules: first patient dosed in Phase 2a (June 2026)
- BioNTech Q2 2026 quarterly report (SEC)
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07330440
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06474442
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06385327
- Simplexia news (July 2026)
- NIH RePORTER project 11368910
- PubMed 39289368 (2024)
- Moderna Analyst Day, November 2025 (SEC)
- GSK announcement, September 2024 (SEC)
- PubMed 41056754 (2025)
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04539483
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04979975
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03146403
General information, not medical advice. Trial plans change; each row shows the date of its latest source. Talk to a healthcare provider about your own treatment.