GlaxoSmithKline has “milestone” cervical cancer vaccine study published

GlaxoSmithKline has had the final analysis of the largest efficacy study involving a cervical cancer vaccine published in the Lancet journal, it has announced.

The trial, which involved a total of 18,644 women, indicated that the Cervarix treatment is highly effective in terms of protection against two of the most common cancer-causing forms of human papillomavirus (HPV) – 16 and 18.

It was found that that, in females who complied with the protocol procedures of the trial, a group that accounted for 87 per cent of the total sample, the vaccine offered 92.9 per cent protection against cervical pre-cancers linked with HPV 16 or 18.

Commenting on the issue, Thomas Breuer, head of global clinical research and development and chief medical officer of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, said that the study results are “excellent”.

“This is really good news for primary prevention of cervical cancer as it indicates the vaccine could offer women additional protection against cervical cancer beyond what had at first been anticipated,” he added.

Last month, GlaxoSmithKline announced a partnership with Chroma Therapeutics to develop macrophage-targeted compounds.