Human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a key role in the development of cervical and laryngeal cancers. The aim of our study was to compare the performance of a new hydrogel-based HPV genotyping biochip assay (Biochip) to a commercially available and CE-marked conventional PCR followed by reverse hybridization (GenID-PCR). One hundred twenty-three samples were available for the study. Of these samples, 101/123 were gynecological swabs, 8/123 were swabs or biopsy samples of genital warts, 7/123 were biopsy samples of otorhinolaryngeal lesions, 5/123 were samples of skin warts, and 2/123 were samples of orolabial abnormalities. These molecular methods for HPV genotyping showed comparable sensitivity and specificity. However, 19/123 of the results were discrepant. Specifically, Biochip showed better performance in the detection of multiple infections, especially when more than one high-risk genotype was present. Due to the different probe configurations used in the two assays, GenID-PCR achieves only group-specific detection of many HPV genotypes, whereas Biochip allows for specific identification. Overall, the newly developed HPV chip system (Biochip) proved to be a suitable tool for HPV detection and genotyping; it also proved to be superior for establishing HPV genotyping methods.Persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is now well known to play the key role in the development of cervical carcinoma, which is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide. Certain HPV genotypes have been shown to be associated with a high risk for carcinogenesis. HPV type 16 (HPV-16) and HPV-18 are responsible for more than 70% of cervical carcinomas, whereas other high-risk genotypes (HPV-31, -33, -45, -52, -58, and others) are found less frequently (34,38,39).Due to the high negative predictive value of a negative HPV test result combined with negative cytology results, it is expected that, in the future, DNA testing will complement cytology in routine gynecological screening, thus enabling the development of a more cost-efficient screening program with expanded intervals between patient visits (11). For women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, HPV testing is an important requirement for triage strategies (3, 32). Since a significant proportion of HPV infections, including high-risk genotypes HPV-16 and -18, are cleared within several months by the immune system, single detection of HPV DNA alone is not sufficient to predict cancer development, especially in younger women (5). Consequently, the ability to genotype at least the most common high-risk HPV strains, i.e., and -18, in order to distinguish persistent infections with the same genotype from subsequent infections with other HPV genotypes is an important feature of modern HPV assays (16,33).In the last 2 years, we have seen a breakthrough in the prevention of HPV infections. Much of the progress is the result of immunological studies that have paved the way for development of the first effe...