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Cervavac is India’s first quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination, preventing HPV strains 6, 11, 16, and 18.
Cervical cancer is India’s second most frequent disease, particularly among women aged 15 to 44. According to NHP, 122,844 Indian women are diagnosed with cervical cancer yearly, with 67,477 dying from the disease.
By far, the most frequent HPV-related illness is cervical cancer. The bulk of this form of cancer, more than 95%, is caused by HPV.
Key Takeaways
- Last month, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) awarded market authorization to the Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture this indigenously designed cervical cancer vaccine
- It will be India’s first Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccination to prevent cervical cancer
- Following the availability of this vaccine, the government will shortly initiate a countrywide vaccination campaign for females aged 9 to 14
- In 85 percent to 90 percent of cervical cancer instances, cancer used to develop in the absence of vaccination, but this will no longer happen
What exactly is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when cancer begins in the cervix. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. It is caused by long-term infection with particular human papillomavirus (HPV) forms. Cervical cancer is largely treated when detected early and is connected with extended longevity and a great quality of life.
On Thursday, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) announced the scientific completion of India’s first quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (qHPV) against cervical cancer.
The First QHPV Vaccine in India
The quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (qHPV) is India’s first homegrown cervical cancer vaccine, and it has elicited a strong antibody response. According to PTI, the response is over 1,000 times greater than the baseline against all targeted HPV strains, dosage, and age categories.
Depending on the age, the vaccination will be given in two or three doses. The HPV vaccination is generally advised for girls and boys aged 11-12.
Others require three shots, while youngsters who receive the dosage before reaching 15 require two. The shot is advised up until the age of 26. The Serum Institute of India has not yet disclosed more information regarding how the vaccine was created. According to Dr. Amit Upadhyay, the firm has a solid track record, and preliminary results on the vaccine’s effectiveness were promising.
India's Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the second most frequent malignancy among women in India, even though it is entirely avoidable. This malignancy is most usually detected in women aged 15 to 44. Cervical cancer accounted for 9.4% of all malignancies and 18.3% of new cancer cases in 2020, according to Globocan 2020. Cervical cancer was the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women in 12 Indian states between 1990 and 2016.
HPV in India
The major cause of cervical cancer is HPV, a sexually transmitted illness. Aside from employing barrier protection during sexual intercourse, the best way for women to prevent themselves from cervical cancer is to get a qHPV vaccination. According to healthcare professionals, CERVAVAC has exhibited antibody responses over 1,000 times greater than the baseline against all HPV strains and across all age groups.
National Cancer Prevention and Control Program (NCCP)
In 1975, India launched the National Cancer Prevention and Control Programme. Priority was given under the initiative to equipping existing cancer hospitals and organisations. Each cancer institute received Rs 2.50 lakhs in central support to acquire cobalt devices for radiation.
The HPV vaccination
The HPV vaccination protects against the most common kinds of HPV that cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar malignancies. For the HPV vaccination, India has been completely reliant on foreign producers. However, India will receive its first indigenously manufactured qHPV vaccination on September 1.
On July 12, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the Serum Institute’s qHPV vaccine for marketing.
Role of HPV in Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, once the HPV enters the cell, it attacks the communication mechanism, allowing the infected cells to grow more quickly. While the immune system tries to halt these contaminated cells, they prefer to increase quietly. Unchecked growth leads to the formation of tumorous cells, which eventually cause cancer.
Cost of qHPV Vaccine
The vaccine is expected to cost between Rs 200 and 400 per dosage, which is far cheaper than the cost of existing international vaccinations. While the MERCK HPV vaccination costs Rs 3000 each, Gardasil 9 costs roughly Rs 10,000 in India.
How does the HPV Vaccine Work?
The human papillomavirus (HPV), which can also cause oral, vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers, is prevented by the HPV vaccination. Additionally, it may cause cancerous genital warts. The Hepatitis B vaccination protects against HBV, which can lead to liver cancer. Vaccinations used to treat cancer are sometimes referred to as therapeutic vaccines. They are a component of the immunotherapy course of treatment—these function by enhancing the immune system’s capability to combat carcinogens.
These initiatives to use vaccinations to stimulate the immune system in the battle against cancer are not new. In its lengthy history, American-born surgeon and cancer researcher William Coley first noted in the 1890s that injections of bacterial toxins (a kind of vaccination) decreased the patients’ tumours in a few isolated cases by ostensibly activating the immune system. Over the years, scientists learned that training the immune system’s T-cells to identify tumour antigens as foreign objects and fight tumours was possible.
