A new study published in The Lancet depicts that GlaxoSmithKline’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is highly effective at preventing precancerous cervical lesions that can lead to cervical cancer. The researchers said that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine was as much as 98% effective against HPV-16/18, and between 37% and 54% effective against 12 other cancer-causing HPV types.

After two years of its approval, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has detected no major problems with the safety of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. The vaccine is used to protect against infection caused by the sexually transmitted virus, the HPV, that leads to genital warts and cervical cancer. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the vaccination of girls at the age of 11 (much before they turn sexually active). No serious side effects have been found.

New data from an extended follow-up study show that GlaxoSmithKline PLC.’s cervical cancer candidate vaccine, Cervarix, generates sustained high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the two most common cervical cancer-causing virus types for up to 6.4 years. This is the longest duration of sustained neutralising antibody levels reported against both virus types HPV 16 and 18 with a cervical cancer vaccine to date. Experts believe that neutralizing antibodies are essential for protection against cervical cancer.

New data related to GlaxoSmithKline’s CERVARIX(R) demonstrates that the cervical cancer candidate vaccine provides significant protection for women against the four most common cancer-causing human papillomavirus types. The vaccine gives protection for nearly six and a half years, which is the longest duration of protection reported to date. During this period, the vaccine showed 100% efficacy in preventing precancerous lesions due to cancer-causing virus types 16 and 18 as well as provided substantial protection against infection caused by virus types 31 and 45.