Gardasil News and Research

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Gardasil is a vaccine that prevents the types of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. The vaccine, Gardasil, is given in three shots over six-months. The vaccine is routinely recommended for 11 and 12 year old girls. It is also recommended for girls and women age 13 through 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.

FDA approves Gardasil for prevention of anal cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the vaccine Gardasil for the prevention of anal cancer and associated precancerous lesions due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18 in people ages 9 through 26 years.

23 Dec 2010

NIAID scientists confirm antiviral activity of two lead compounds against HPV

Tamir Biotechnology, Inc. announced today that scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reported test results confirming two of our lead compounds showed excellent in vitro antiviral activity and no cellular toxicity at dose levels tested for Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

30 Nov 2010

Is the decade long flirtation with vaccines over?

In light of increasing competition, saturation of key vaccine sectors and a lack of innovative late-stage vaccine candidates, maintaining the strong growth of the last decade will be a major challenge for the vaccines industry suggests independent market analyst, Datamonitor.

22 Nov 2010

Merck announces FDA Advisory Committee approval of GARDASIL for anal cancer and AIN treatment

Merck announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee has advised that the data presented support an indication for GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer and anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) in both males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

18 Nov 2010

HPV vaccination rates falter

According to the latest research lesser numbers of teenage girls and young women are getting infected by the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) – a virus linked to cervical cancer. Research also shows that most who start the vaccination regimen against the virus fail to take all three doses.

10 Nov 2010

Merck reports $342 million net income for 2010 third quarter

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter of $0.85, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, restructuring costs, merger-related expenses and a $950 million legal reserve.

29 Oct 2010

S.A.N.E. Vax requests temporary suspension of Gardasil sales as cervical cancer preventive

In a letter addressed to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the FDA commissioner, Ms. Norma Erickson, president of S.A.N.E. Vax, Inc. stated her research team has revealed the fact that in November 2001 the VRBPAC (Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee) mistakenly allowed the vaccine manufacturer to use "CIN 2/3, AIS, or cervical cancer; i.e. CIN 2/3 or worse by histology- with virology to determine the associated HPV type- as the primary endpoint in the evaluation of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer."

25 Oct 2010

Oral cancer linked to oral sex: Study

Swedish researchers have found that the Human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer in women is also a risk factor for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or oral and throat cancer in men even if they do not smoke or consume alcohol.

21 Oct 2010

Data shows Take Care Clinics’ quality of care exceeds national benchmarks

Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens and the nation's largest and most comprehensive manager of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers, today announced that an analysis of de-identified data collected through the company's electronic medical record (EMR) system by the Jefferson School of Population Health showed that the quality of care delivered in Take Care Clinics for treatment of pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat) and upper respiratory infections (URI) meets or exceeds the quality of the care delivered in other settings.

5 Oct 2010

Johnson & Johnson in talks to buy Crucell

Johnson & Johnson is in advanced negotiations to buy Dutch biotechnology company Crucell NV for €1.75 billion ($2.29 billion), the two companies said today. Giles Somers, senior healthcare analyst at Datamonitor comments:

19 Sep 2010

Inovio Pharmaceuticals achieves promising results in VGX-3100 Phase I study

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that it has achieved best-in-class immune responses in its Phase I dose escalation study of VGX-3100, its DNA vaccine to treat pre-cancerous cervical dysplasias and cervical cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18.

13 Sep 2010

Survey finds women interested in human papillomavirus vaccination

Cost but not convenience plays a significant role in attitudes about vaccination for common human papillomaviruses for women over the age of 26, according to the authors of a recent article in the journal Sexual Health.

25 Aug 2010

Merck reports strong bottom-line performance in second quarter

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter of $0.86, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, merger-related expenses, restructuring costs and the gain on AstraZeneca's asset option exercise. Second-quarter GAAP EPS was $0.24.

2 Aug 2010

Vaccine manufacturers may be able to produce lower-cost HPV vaccines, say researchers

Vaccine manufacturers in India and other developing countries may be able to produce a lower-cost HPV vaccine in spite of the complicated array of patent protections on the technology, say researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy. At a cost of at least $300 for the three-dose regimen, the blockbuster HPV vaccines, including Gardasil- from Merck and Cervarix- from GlaxoSmithKline, are some of the most expensive ever introduced.

12 Jul 2010

Merck to lay off 15 percent of workers, close plants, research facilities

Drugmaker Merck announced it is closing eight research centers and eight manufacturing plants and laying off 15,000 people from its worldwide operations during the next two years because of its merger with Schering-Plough. "The restructuring is expected to save $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion in 2012, the company said. Meanwhile, the pretax cost of the initial phase of the cost-cutting program is expected to range from $3.5 billion to $4.3 billion, much of it in severance packages for employees."

9 Jul 2010

Mass vaccination has reduced the incidence of genital warts by 60%: Report

Genital warts, commonly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) are on the decline after routine vaccination of Australian women with a vaccine against HPV. The sexual partners of these women are also beneficiaries of the vaccine.

5 Jul 2010

New report shows one in three young women receive HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer

Only about one in three young women has received the human papillomavirus vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer, according to a new report from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

2 Jun 2010

Vical receives $4.0M grant to support development of novel vaccine for CMV infection

Vical Incorporated announced today that the company is collaborating with leading pediatric infectious disease researchers Stuart P. Adler, M.D., and Michael A. McVoy, Ph.D., of Virginia Commonwealth University under a five-year, approximately $4.0 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

25 May 2010

Merck hosts R&D and Business Briefing

Merck & Co., Inc. today hosted its first R&D and Business Briefing since the completion of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. The event included a comprehensive review of the company's late-stage pipeline, as well as the company's commercial strategy and progress made in the integration of Merck's worldwide operations.

12 May 2010

Merck reports non-GAAP EPS of $0.83 for first-quarter 2010

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2010. The company reported non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of $0.83, which excludes purchase accounting adjustments, merger-related expenses and restructuring costs, as well as a tax charge related to the recently enacted health care reform legislation. First-quarter GAAP EPS was $0.09.

4 May 2010