Posted on 04/07/2005 4:20:45 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
new vaccine against cervical cancer has proved highly successful in trials and could be on the market in two years, experts have said.
Gardasil protects women against four strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), a common, sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer.
Results published in The Lancet Oncology reveal that the vaccine, developed by Merck & Co, reduced persistent HPV infection and related genital disease by 90 per cent compared to a dummy injection.
The trial involved 522 healthy women aged between 16 and 23 in the US, Brazil and Europe and marks a breakthrough in the battle against the disease, which is diagnosed in half a million women each year and kills 900 in England every year.
A larger study of 25,000 women is due to report later this year and, if successful, could see the vaccine enter the market in 2006.
"If [larger] Phase III studies demonstrate the vaccine is as effective as this [study], I'm sure that it will change the history of cervical cancer," Dr Luisa Villa of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Brazil told Reuters news agency.
Another vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline, which targets just the two strains of HPV associated with cervical cancer, is also showing promising results.
"The race is on. There is not much to choose between these vaccines. In practice both have proved extremely effective," said Dr Anne Szarewski, clinical consultant to Cancer Research UK.
"I think we will see a vaccine on the market in the next two to three years."
Wow. This would be fantastic. Thanks for posting this..
This is just those evil drug companies finding new ways to extort money from people!
Free drugs for everyone!
Not.
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