GSK's Cervarix cleared in Australia

UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline says that its cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix, has been granted a licence by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia for the prevention of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions associated with the most common cancer-causing human papillomavirus types. The product is now approved in Australia for use in females aged 10 to 45 years and represents its first major market licence. Cervarix has been tested in over 40,000 females in clinical trials, showing consistently high levels of efficacy in preventing precancerous lesions due to cancer-causing virus types 16 and 18, as well as a good safety profile. Study data also showed preliminary evidence of additional protection against infection by other viral serotypes.