Seegene analysis of about 60,000 test results found STI pathogens in 82% of HPV-positive cases, supporting further research into combined testing.

Seegene analysis of approximately 60,000 test results has found that sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens were detected in 82% of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive cases, prompting the company to investigate the potential value of combined HPV and STI testing.

The analysis covered co-testing results collected over 42 months using Seegene’s STAgora diagnostic data analytics platform. The company said HPV was detected in 46% of STI-positive cases, while co-detection of HPV and STI pathogens occurred in 71% of positive cases identified through comprehensive HPV and STI testing.

Seegene said the findings support further evaluation of testing approaches that provide information about HPV and STI pathogens at the same time, particularly where patients may have concurrent infections or no symptoms.

The analysis forms part of the company’s broader work through its Global Million Clinical Study (GMCS), launched earlier this month. The initiative aims to collect real-world clinical data from healthcare institutions worldwide to assess the clinical utility of disease-specific diagnostic testing strategies and generate evidence around the use of PCR testing.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and persistent infection with certain high-risk HPV types is associated with cervical cancer. HPV screening and genotyping are therefore used to help assess a person’s risk and inform follow-up strategies.

STIs can be caused by a range of bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens. Some infections produce similar symptoms, while others can be asymptomatic, making it difficult to identify the causative pathogen based on symptoms alone.

Seegene said the company’s analysis suggests there may be value in considering HPV and STI results together when assessing reproductive tract infections.

However, the findings are based on an internal analysis of testing data and do not by themselves establish that combined HPV and STI testing improves patient outcomes. Further clinical research will be needed to determine whether broader testing provides a measurable benefit in screening, diagnosis or patient management.

The company plans to use the GMCS to gather additional evidence on comprehensive HPV and STI testing and evaluate its potential clinical utility through statistical analysis of data collected from participating healthcare institutions.

The work comes as researchers continue to investigate relationships between HPV infection, sexually transmitted infections and the microbial environment of the reproductive tract.

Previous research has suggested that infections and changes in the vaginal microbiome may influence the local inflammatory and immune environment of the cervix, potentially affecting HPV acquisition, persistence or clearance. However, the clinical significance of these relationships remains an area of ongoing research.

Seegene said the potential applications of combined testing could include identifying asymptomatic STIs, detecting co-infections in people who test positive for HPV and supporting reproductive health assessments in areas such as pregnancy planning and infertility investigations.

The company is expected to present its approach to comprehensive HPV and STI testing at the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) 2026 meeting in Anaheim, California, from July 28 to July 30.

Seegene’s work forms part of a wider move towards syndromic molecular diagnostics, in which multiple pathogens associated with similar symptoms can be detected in a single testing workflow.

The company develops multiplex real-time PCR technologies capable of detecting multiple pathogens simultaneously. It is also developing diagnostic data analytics and automated PCR technologies as part of its broader molecular diagnostics portfolio.

For Seegene, the GMCS represents an opportunity to build a larger evidence base around how molecular testing data can be used to support clinical decision-making and potentially inform future testing strategies.