GSK's cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix® (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Types 16,18, recombinant, adjuvanted, adsorbed), is superior to Gardasil® (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Types 6,11,16,18, recombinant, adjuvanted, adsorbed) in generating a significantly greater antibody response at seven months in women aged 18-45 against the two main cancer causing human papillomavirus (HPV) subtypes 16 & 18. These results, from the first of its kind, head-to-head study, will be presented at the 25th International Papillomavirus Conference (IPV) in Malm?¶, Sweden.1

The comparative study looked at two key measures of immune response, neutralising antibodies and memory B cells, believed to play an important role in how well a vaccine will protect women from HPV infection and subsequent cervical cancer over the long term. Although, it should be noted that the minimal antibody level associated with protection against the early stages of cervical cancer are still unknown.

The trial, which was designed to show non-inferiority between the two vaccines, showed antibody levels for Cervarix® were more than two times higher than those for Gardasil for HPV type 16 and more than six times higher for HPV type 18 at seven months in all women (aged 18-45). These results were statistically significant (p