Potential new vaccine could eliminate cervical cancer

Encouraging results have recently emerged regarding a new vaccine which suggests that with continued development the elimination of cervical cancer could be on the cards. The new vaccine targets the human papillomavirus (HPV). Since HPV can cause cervical cancer, research has shown how the replacement of the current anti-HPV vaccines with a newer vaccine could lead to broader protection against all 15 cancer inducing HPV types. Scientists have discovered that the L2 protein, a minor constituent of the virus, is the same across all HPV strains. Therefore researchers have proposed that, in vaccines where this protein is the main component, a range of antibodies would become active against many HPV types, leading to greater levels of cervical cancer prevention being achieved. As it stands, Cervarix and Gardasil, produced by the pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co. respectively are the only anti-HPV vaccines currently available. The protein L1 is the main vaccine component...