[Ip-health] Cervical cancer will remain a major cause of cancer-related death in the developing world

[James Love]

* while incidence of cervical cancer is set to decrease in developed
countries following the implementation of anti-HPV immunization with
Merck & Co's Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix, it will remain
a major cause of cancer-related death in the developing world.

* The advent of anti-HPV vaccines capable of preventing cervical
cancer, Merck & Co's Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix,
represent a major breakthrough, capable of significantly reducing the
burden of disease. However, maximal impact will depend on the ease by
which cash-strapped developing countries are able to gain access to
these vaccines.

My question.  Has the WHO or any other body made an effort to
determine what it actually costs to make and deliver this vaccine in
developing countries, if the intellectual property rights were not an
issue?   Jamie

http://www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/research.asp?guid=DMHC2239

Stakeholder Opinions: Gynecological Cancers - Niche opportunities in
advanced disease
Product Type: Report
Published: 19 Dec 2006
Published by: Datamonitor
Price: $3800

Introduction
Cases of endometrial cancer are set to rise in developed countries
due to an increase in risk factors such as obesity. In contrast,
while incidence of cervical cancer is set to decrease in developed
countries following the implementation of anti-HPV immunization with
Merck & Co's Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix, it will remain
a major cause of cancer-related death in the developing world.

Scope

     * Current diagnosis and treatment of endometrial, cervical,
vaginal and vulvar cancer, including treatment regimens by stage of
disease
     * Issues and unmet needs in current treatment, screening and
potential anti-HPV vaccination programs
     * Examination of pipeline activity and potential future
opportunities for drug developers
     * Stakeholder opinions and interview transcripts based on
qualitative interviews with five opinion leaders from the US and Europe

Highlights
The advent of anti-HPV vaccines capable of preventing cervical
cancer, Merck & Co's Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix,
represent a major breakthrough, capable of significantly reducing the
burden of disease. However, maximal impact will depend on the ease by
which cash-strapped developing countries are able to gain access to
these vaccines.

Despite being the most common of the gynecological malignancies, drug
development for endometrial cancer is minimal. Given the high rate of
early diagnosis and cure, the development of systemic therapies for
metastatic disease has not been prioritized. This relatively inactive
pipeline may become more of an issue as disease incidence increases.

While ample Phase I/II clinical trial data has been reported for the
gynecological malignancies, only a small number of Phase III studies
have been completed to corroborate earlier results. To fully define
treatment strategies and provide solid evidence for clinical decision
making, more large-scale, randomized clinical trials are necessary.

Why you should buy this report

     * Identify the limitations of current therapy for gynecological
cancer and the potential of future therapy
     * Understand current epidemiological trends in gynecological
cancer and ongoing treatment controversies
     * Assess the opportunities for innovative targeted therapies in
gynecological cancer, particularly in metastatic disease