GlaxoSmithKline received a boost yesterday after the British drug maker won a contract to supply its cervical cancer vaccine for the government's immunisation programme for schoolgirls.
The world's second-biggest drugs manufacturer did not disclose the value of the three-year contract for its Cervarix vaccine but there has been industry speculation that it could be worth about £100m.
The Department of Health immunisation programme targets two strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) responsible for about 70% of cervical cancers. The programme, which is due to start in September, will vaccinate about 2 million girls aged between 12 and 18 over the next three years.
"This is great news for girls and women across the UK and reflects the growing confidence in Cervarix, which provides cervical cancer protection with a strong and sustained immune response," said Eddie Gray, president of pharmaceuticals Europe for GSK. "We believe the benefits of this programme will be felt by women and their families for generations to come."
Cervical cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death among women globally, killing one woman every two minutes, according to GSK.
Mike Ward, a pharmaceutical analyst at Nomura Code, said the deal would help GSK sell Cervarix to other European governments. "The idea is that they start selling their vaccines in the private healthcare sector and then target governments after they get their bureaucracy together and decide that [vaccines] are a good thing for public health," he said.
