ZFN-603

ZFN-603 is a zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) developed by Huazhong University of Science and Technology for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) associated with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) infection. The drug is designed to specifically recognize and cleave the HPV16 E7 oncogene, which is critical for the maintenance of the malignant phenotype in HPV-infected cells. By inducing site-specific double-strand breaks in the E7 DNA, ZFN-603 reduces the expression of the E7 oncoprotein, leading to type-specific apoptosis and inhibition of cell growth. In clinical development, ZFN-603 is formulated as a vaginal suppository and is often evaluated in conjunction with ZFN-758, which targets the E7 oncogene of HPV18.