A husband and wife team of scientists may have found a pioneering way to prevent cervical cancer - in a drug intended to treat HIV patients.

Ian and Lynne Hampson from Manchester University are now working with a drugs firm to develop their research, who believe the breakthrough could save thousands of lives.

The researchers, molecular virologists, have discovered that a drug which is commonly used to fight HIV is also effective against strains of human papillomavirus, which cause nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

And, with the help of Dr Innocent Orora Maranga, one of their former PhD student, the couple have carried out a successful initial clinical trial in Kenya - using the drug.

Ian said: “The HIV drug is applied directly to the cervix to catch cervical cancer in its early stages.

“This should reduce the need for invasive and costly surgical procedures currently used in the wealthier nations.

“When we treated Kenyan women suffering from early stage cervical cancer, we found that it wiped out pre-cancerous cells in 65 per cent, and reduced the severity of disease in 15 per cent of the trial participants with virtually no side effects.”

Lynee said the non-invasive treatment had the potential for women with pre-cancerous changes in the cervix to have ‘self help therapy’.

“For poorer countries that lack surgical facilities and where the disease is most common, it could be a massive game changer,” she added.

Such is the potential of the drug that the university’s ‘Innovation Company’ has signed a deal with Douglas Pharmaceuticals, a New Zealand-based firm.

Douglas specialises in repurposing - or finding new ways to use existing drugs.

The firm, which then sells these treatments at affordable prices for global use, will sponsor research to further develop this drug.

The Auckland-based firm then plans to manufacture the therapy and drive development with clinical trials in the UK, then internationally.

Professor Ian Greer, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University said the deal showed their commitment to tackling global health problems.

Dr Rich Ferrie, director of operations at the University’s technology transfer division, UMIP, said it offered hope for millions of women who are at risk of cervical cancer.

Jeff Douglas, MD of Douglas, said he was delighted with the collaboration with Manchester University, they were committed to building strong relationship in medical research and described the drug as ‘promising’.

The research team assembled by Ian and Lynne includes Dr Pierre-Martin Hirsch, president of the British Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.

A second trial is due to start in early 2018.