Currently approved prophylactic HPV vaccines

Abstract

Cervarix^® and Gardasil^® are two prophylactic HPV vaccines designed primarily for cervical cancer prevention. Cervarix is effective against HPV-16, -18, -31, -33 and -45, the five most common cancer-causing types, including most causes of adenocarcinoma for which we cannot screen adequately. Gardasil is effective against HPV-16, 18 and 31, three common squamous cell cancer-causing types. In addition, Gardasil is effective against HPV-6 and -11, causes of genital warts and respiratory papillomatosis. The most important determinant of vaccine impact to reduce cervical cancer is its duration of efficacy. To date, Cervarix’s efficacy is proven for 6.4 years and Gardasil’s for 5 years.

Keywords::

• cervical cancer
• efficacy
• HPV
• immunogenicity
• safety

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The institutions at which Diane M Harper has undertaken HPV vaccine trials have received funding from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline to support clinical trials on the vaccines discussed in this review. Diane M Harper has also received honoraria from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline for speaking and for participation on advisory boards. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.