Cervarix receives positive feedback

Source: Healthcare Digital

Date :25/07/2007 16:06:44

Cervarix, the cervical cancer vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline has received a positive opinion from the European medicines regulator.

The vaccine still needs final marketing approval, but this is expected to follow within the three months.

GlaxoSmithKline's product is a rival to Sanofi-Pasteur MSD's Gardasil, the first ever vaccine to prevent girls and women developing cervical cancer by blocking the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes most cases of the killer disease.

Being the second product to reach the market, Cervarix will have to differentiate itself from Gardasil in order to challenge its position.

GSK has demonstrated confidence in its product by beginning a head-to-head trial of Cervarix with Gardasil in January this year.

The company hopes the study will demonstrate that women show a greater immune response to Cervarix than Gardasil in relation to the two most common strains of the human papillomavirus, HPV 16 and 18, which are responsible for at least 70 percent of all cases.

Despite this, many analysts think Gardasil's head start will help it capture the market, with peak sales forecast currently around £1.2 billion compared to Cervarix on £731 million.

The vaccine is expected to reach the market before the end of 2007.

July 25 2007