Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
NEW DELHI, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, has developed the country's first cervical cancer shot that will hit the market soon, the company and the government said on Thursday.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020, according to the World Health Organization. About 90% of the new cases and deaths worldwide occurred in low- and middle-income countries that year.
Two human papillomavirus (HPV) types, 16 and 18, are responsible for at least 70% of cervical cancers, and India's Department of Biotechnology said the Indian vaccine would work on HPV types 16 and 18, as well as 6 and 11.
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Merck & Co (MRK.N) and GSK Plc (GSK.L) are the main makers of HPV vaccines.
"The indigenously developed vaccine will make our country self-sufficient in curbing female mortality caused by cervical cancer," SII Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said in a statement.
He told reporters the vaccine would be out for sale in a few months, first for the Indian market and then the world. It may be priced between 200 rupees and 400 rupees ($2.51-$5.03) and the company will aim to produce about 200 million doses in two years, Reuters partner ANI cited Poonawalla as saying.
The vaccine will be administered via injection in two doses among 9-14 year olds and in three doses for those between 15 and 26.
Reporting by Krishna N. Das, Editing by William Maclean
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Zealousideal-Rip-894 on September 26th, 2022 at 13:04 UTC »
There are cancer vaccines??
CultCrossPollination on September 26th, 2022 at 12:14 UTC »
Don't forget it works for men too. Hpv is often also transmitted orally where it can result in throat and neck cancer. Remember that it depends on the type of vaccine, that it possibly only works prior to infection. So therefore vaccinations of kids before sexual activity is preferred.
tonymmorley on September 26th, 2022 at 10:42 UTC »
A new Indian cervical cancer vaccine with a 90% efficacy, that's roughly 87% less expensive — it's a "game-changer", and it has the potential to save millions of lives. "India develops its first cervical cancer vaccine" Thread: 🧵
While there are three highly effective foreign-manufactured HPV vaccines, at $35 each, millions of women and girls are priced out. A cost-effective HPV vaccine could be a game-changer for the health of young girls and women in India and other low and middle-income countries.
Current estimates indicate that 123,907 girls and women in India are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, and 77,348 die. The disease is the second most frequent cause of cancer for Indian women. Roughly 5% of Indian women are infected with HPV-16/18.
"The vaccine would be out for sale in a few months, first for the Indian market and then the world. It may be priced between 200 rupees and 400 rupees ($2.51-$5.03) and the company will aim to produce about 200 million doses in two years."
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