title: Developing an HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts.
abstract: The challenges of the journey from target identification through development of a prophylactic quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been met in Gardasil. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Approximately 70% of cervical cancer is caused by infection with HPV types 16 and 18 and approximately 90% of genital warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The quadrivalent HPV vaccine was generated by expression of the major capsid protein (L1) of HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11 in yeast. L1 proteins self assemble into pentamer structures and these pentamer structures come together to form virus-like particles (VLPs). The VLPs are antigenically indistinguishable from HPV virions. The VLPs contain no viral DNA and therefore the vaccine is non-infectious. Gardasil is composed of VLPs of HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11 conjugated to a proprietary amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate adjuvant. The results of a rigorous clinical program have demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and highly efficacious in preventing dysplasias, cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CIN 1-3) the precursors of cervical cancer and external genital lesions caused by vaccine-HPV types. In conclusion, Gardasil addresses a major medical need, that is, reduction of HPV-related disease including cervical cancer as a safe, immunogenic, and highly efficacious vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Biologics Research, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, United States. janine_bryan@merck.com
authors.forename: Janine T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bryan
mesh_terms: D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000187:drug effects*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines