First cervical cancer vaccine launched in UK by Sanofi Pasteur MSD
Gardasil is now available in the UK |
Gardasil, the first vaccine for cervical cancer, genital warts and other diseases caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), was launched in the UK this week.
Sanofi Pasteur MSD, which is marketing the vaccine, believes that it
could reduce cases of cervical cancer by 75 per cent, precancerous cervical
lesions by 60 per cent and genital warts by 90 per cent, if complete
vaccine coverage were achieved in UK women. “This is the most important
cervical cancer development since cervical screening,” Margaret
Stanley, professor of epithelial biology at the University of Cambridge,
said at the launch of the vaccine.
The recombinant, adsorbed vaccine costs £241.50 for a course of
three doses and is licensed for the prevention of high-grade cervical
dysplasia, cervical carcinoma, high-grade vulvar dysplastic lesions and
external genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 for children
and adolescents aged 9–15 years and for women aged 16–26
years.
In clinical trials, Gardasil was found to be 100 per cent effective at
preventing high-grade cervical and vulval precancers and 98.9 per cent
effective at preventing genital warts caused by the four HPV types in
the vaccine. Efficacy against precancers remained at 100 per cent up
to five years after administration, but studies are under way to see
whether a booster injection will be necessary.
A subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Vaccinaton and Immunisation
was expected to report to a meeting of the JCVI this week as to what
the UK’s vaccination policy should be for Gardasil.
Without discount, an immunisation campaign is expected to cost the NHS
up to £90m a year.
GlaxoSmithKline has also developed a vaccine against HPV. The company
told The Journal that it expects its vaccine, Cervarix, to be available
in the UK in the first half of 2007. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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