FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake has become the first healthcare organization in Louisiana to administer PAPZIMEOS, the first and only therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RPP).
Two patients under the care of Lacey Adkins, MD, an LSU Health Sciences Center associate professor of laryngology and otolaryngologist at the Our Lady of the Lake Voice Center, received their first injections Sept. 17, becoming the first patients in Louisiana to receive the treatment.
RRP is a rare, chronic disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). It causes growths to develop in the respiratory tract, most often in the larynx or voice box. The growths can affect a person’s voice and breathing and frequently return after removal, requiring some patients to undergo repeated surgeries.
“RRP is a burdensome disease. These patients may have to undergo surgery multiple times a year throughout their lives,” Adkins said. “It is exciting to finally have another treatment option, particularly one that has the potential to eliminate the need for future surgeries.”
The FDA approved PAPZIMEOS in August 2025. The therapy helps train the immune system to identify and attack HPV-infected cells. It is administered through four subcutaneous injections over 12 weeks. Patients who require surgery more than three or four times a year may qualify for the therapy. In the clinical study supporting FDA approval, 51% of patients who received the recommended dosage achieved a complete response and did not require surgical intervention for one year after completing treatment. An additional 34% experienced a partial response, with less frequent surgical intervention.