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news.Merck & Co has said that its Gardasil product has become the first ever vaccine to be approved to prevent cervical cancer in young girls in Europe, following an endorsement from regulatory authorities.
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Gardasil prevents cervical cancer and vaginal and vulvar pre-cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Gardasil is already approved in the United States for 9- to 26-year-old girls and women.
This license applies to the 25 countries that are members of the EU. Gardasil will be marketed by Sanofi Pasteur MSD, a joint venture between Sanofi Pasteur and Merck & Co.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer among young women in Europe. Approximately 33,500 women are diagnosed with, and 15,000 women die from cervical cancer each year in Europe.
Gardasil is competing with a similar product called Cervarix, a vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Cervarix is still in development and therefore has not been submitted for European approval.