Vaccine against Papillovirus type 16 & 18, protecting from cervical cancer

[Kademad]

Check this out guys!!!

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An experimental Merck & Co. vaccine completely prevented early-stage cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions caused by the two most common forms of a virus linked to such cancers, Merck said on Thursday.

"This trial confirms that a vaccine can give young women a high level of protection from developing precancerous lesions and early cervical cancers," Laura Koutsky, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington who led the study, told Reuters.

The favorable findings were seen in a late-stage trial sponsored by the U.S. drugmaker, which included more than 12,000 women from 13 countries, aged 16 to 26, who were not infected with either of the virus types when the trial began.

The two forms of human papillomavirus, types 16 and 18, are responsible for an estimated 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, and are the targets of Merck's Gardasil vaccine. Such cancers kill about 300,000 women worldwide each year, including almost 4,000 in the United States, Merck said.

Merck, whose earnings plunged after the withdrawal last year of its Vioxx arthritis drug, plans to seek U.S. approval for the cancer vaccine, which also protects against genital warts. Merck is partnering its vaccine in Europe with Sanofi-Aventis.
Shares of U.S. drugmaker rose 1.3 percent in afternoon trade.

Half the women in the Phase III trial received three doses of Gardasil over a six-month period, while the other women received placebos. The women were then followed for an average of 17 months.

Merck said Gardasil was 100 percent effective in preventing precancerous lesions and early-stage cancers associated with virus types 16 and 18 among women who remained free of infection until they received their final dose of the vaccine. The vaccine thereby easily met its primary trial goal.

By contrast there were 21 cases of lesions and early-stage cancers associated with the two virus types among those taking placebos, Merck said.


Isn't that super cool!!!

[AwsAdnan]

now thats something relieving

medicine ......................................viruses
1....................................................0

[Nour]

YES it SURELY is.....SUPER COOOOOOOOL



I'm too excited about these news. We might be able one day to do great changes...since we are witnessing huge developments in medical history as well.

I think everyone in medical college needs to be aware of such exciting news.
How can we do that??

[Kademad]

invite them to the BCMF...

Checking the Reuters Health Headlines daily keeps you updated, I took this topic from the news feeds on the home page and pasted it here.