Sanofi MSD's Gardasil could cross-protect

Results from a new investigational study presented at the International Papillomvirus Conference, in Prague, Czech Republic, concludes that vaccination with Sanofi Pasteur MSD's Gardasil (human papillomavirus vaccine types 6,11,16,18, recombinant adsorbed), induces antibody response capable of neutralizing vaccine-type and vaccine-related type infection, potentially conferring cross protection and expanding the vaccine's prevention coverage against cervical cancer.

In this study, Gardasil induced the production of antibodies which cross-react with four additional cancer-causing HPV types (31, 45, 52 and 58) not directly targeted by the vaccine (cross reactivity). The antibodies showed the potential to neutralize virus types 31 and 45 suggesting that Gardasil may prevent infection with HPV types not directly targeted by the vaccine.

Sanofi Pasteur MSD, which is a joint venture between the vaccine division of French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis and US drug major Merck & Co, says that further clinical trials with relevant endpoints will show if cross neutralization translates into the prevention of disease due to virus types not directly targeted by the vaccine (cross protection). Currently, no data have been published that demonstrate clinical cross protection with any HPV vaccine, the JV noted.