Merck vaccine prevents early stage cervical cancer

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Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 06 Oct 2005 - 17:00 PDT

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Merck and Co reports that a trial vaccine, Gardasil, completely prevents early stage cervical cancer and also prevents precancerous cervical lesions caused by two forms of the human papillomavirus, types 16 and 18. These two forms of human papillomavirus are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers.

The study, included 12,000 women from over twelve countries (16-26 years of age) who were not infected with either types 16 or 18 of the human papillomavirus at the start of the study. Half of them had three doses of Gardasil while the rest had placebos. The three doses were spread over a six-month period. All the women were then monitored for 17 months.

All the women on Gardasil remained free of precancerous lesions and early stage cancers caused by the two forms of the virus. 21 of the women on placebos had lesions and early stage cancers. This was a Phase III trial.

A spokesperson for Merck said they hoped the vaccine may eventually be improved to protect against more types of virus that cause cervical cancer - providing protection against 87% of cervical cancer forming viruses.

This new vaccine could be another blockbuster for Merck, which is facing scores of lawsuits from patients who had been taking Vioxx. Vioxx was withdrawn from the market.

Read the Merck Report.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today


Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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