Cervavac- India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for cervical cancer

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Biotechnology

Context:

Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday (September 1), announced the scientific completion of Cervavac, India’s first indigenously developed quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer.
Despite being largely preventable, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, according to the WHO. In 2018, an estimated 570,00 women were diagnosed with the disease and it accounted for 311,000 deaths across the world.

How common is cervical cancer in India?

India accounts for about a fifth of the global burden of cervical cancer, with 1.23 lakh cases and around 67,000 deaths per year.
Almost all cervical cancer cases are linked to certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that is transmitted through sexual contact. While the body’s immune system usually gets rid of the HPV infection naturally within two years, in a small percentage of people the virus can linger over time and turn some normal cells into abnormal cells and then cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Cervical cancer is preventable if detected early and managed effectively, it kills one woman every 8 minutes in the country.
Screening and vaccination are two powerful tools that are available for preventing cervical cancer. Still, there is little awareness among women about the prevention of this cancer and less than 10% of Indian women get screened. All women aged 30-49 must get screened for cervical cancer even if they have no symptoms and get their adolescent daughters vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.

Who developed the new qHPV vaccine?

Cervavac was developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India in coordination with the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
Cervavac received market authorisation approval from the Drug Controller General of India on July 12 this year.

How effective is the new vaccine?

HPV vaccines are given in two doses and data has shown that the antibodies that develop after both are administered can last up to six or seven years, according to Dr. Rajesh Gokhale. Unlike Covid vaccines, booster shots may not be required for the cervical cancer vaccine, he added.
Until now, the HPV vaccines available in India were produced by foreign manufacturers at an approximate cost of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,500 per dose. Cervavac is likely to be significantly cheaper, slated to cost approximately Rs 200 to 400. It has also demonstrated a 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.