Developed and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), Cervavac is India’s first homegrown HPV vaccine for preventing cervical cancer.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, which is identified as the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. In India, it is the second most common cancer among women, after breast cancer. Despite being largely preventable, cervical cancer causes thousands of deaths every year in the country. To fight cervical cancer, India has rolled out its first quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine, named Cervavac.
Cervavac, which is described as the first homegrown Indian HPV vaccine for preventing cervical cancer, is developed and manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). It is now available in various private hospitals in seven states. The company is also in the process to roll out the vaccine for the public sector, and it is expected by the end of the year or early 2024.
As stated by SII officials, the company has a production capacity of 2-3 million doses. A single dose of Cervavac vaccine costs Rs 2,000 (a two-dose schedule of HPV vaccine is recommended for children under 15). The price is less than the Merck’s HPV vaccine, they said.
Who Can TakeCervavac Vaccine?
The Cervavac vaccine has been approved for girls and boys aged between 9 and 26 years old, according to Dr Smita Joshi, principal investigator for SII’s HPV vaccine study at Ruby Hall Clinic.
One woman dies of cervical cancer every eight minutes in India, stated Dr Joshi.
She emphasized the importance of HPV vaccination of adolescent girls and cervical cancer screening of adult women using an HPV test to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the country. She noted that HPV test is more accurate than Pap smear.
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The expert recommended that all women aged 30-60 must get screened for cervical cancer, even if they have no symptoms, noting that cervical pre-cancer, if detected early, can be managed effectively.
Know more about Cervavac vaccine
Cervavac is a quadrivalent vaccine that can protect against four different types of HPV (HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18). Nearly 50 per cent of high-grade cervical pre-cancers are caused by HPV 16 and 18, according to WHO.
Serum launched phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of Cervavac in 2018. In July 2022, the company was granted market authorisation of the vaccine by the Drugs Controller General of India.
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