New Delhi: The SII in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology launched India’s first indigenously developed vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
The vaccine was launched by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Jitendra Singh at IIC Delhi.
“We have traditionally made vaccines for children since our company was started by my father Cyrus Poonawalla. We have focused our efforts on the well-being of women. You need to be healthy in order to work and I hope there are further collaborations in the future as well,” Adar Poonawalla, chairman of Serum Institute of India, said.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had on 12 July granted market authorisation to Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture an indigenously-developed vaccine against cervical cancer.
Dubbed as quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (qHPV) vaccine, the vaccine can be administered to both the genders. The qHPV vaccine CERVAVAC has demonstrated robust antibody response that is nearly 1,000 times higher than the baseline against all targeted HPV types and in all dose and age groups. Tagging it for only Rs200-400, SII aims to make it procurable for all.
Cervical cancer is a form of gynecologic cancer that affects a woman’s reproductive organs. It begins in the cervix, which is the lower, narrow end of the uterus with early symptoms, according to the CDC, being bleeding or discharge from the vagina that is not normal. It has major prevalnce among women between 15 and 44 years of age and can be treated if detected in time.