Prix Galien for Merck & Co's Gardasil and Januvia

Gardasil (quadrivalent human papillomavirus [types 6, 11, 16, 18] recombinant vaccine), US drug major Merck & Co's product for the prevention of cervical cancer, received the Prix Galien USA 2007 Award for Best Biotechnology product. In addition, Januvia (sitagliptin), the company's treatment of type 2 diabetes, gained the 2007 Award for Best Pharmaceutical Agent. Both were presented at a ceremony in New York City on September 25.

Moreover, former Merck chief executive Roy Vagelos was also honored at the ceremony with the prestigious Pro Bono Humanum Award in recognition of his dedication to improved global health through the campaign to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) - a campaign that continues to receive the drugmakers' full commitment and support, the firm says.

Merck announced in 1987 it would donate Mectizan (ivermectin) for the treatment of onchocerciasis, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide, to all who need it for as long as necessary until the disease is eliminated as a public health problem. Now in its 20th year, the program currently reaches more than 60 million people each year for the treatment of river blindness.