Beginning in September 2012, the UK’s National Health System will replace Ceverex, produced by GlaxoSmithKline(NYSE:GSK), with Gardasil from Merck (NYSE: MRK) for its HPV vaccine program, the health system announced Thursday.
The UK began vaccinating girls 12-13 years old for the Human Papillomavirus in 2008. The virus can cause cervical cancer and the treatment has been introduced in several countries for this purpose. There is also a market for boys receiving the vaccine since it is spread through sexual contact.
Gardasil prevents multiple strains of HPV as well as genital warts caused by some strains of HPV.
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About 1.5 million girls have been vaccinated for HPV since 2008.
Gardasil is sold in Europe by Sanofi Pasteur MSD, a joint venture between Whitehouse Station, NJ-based Merck and French drugmaker Sanofi.
Gardasil outsells Cervarix globally, according to Thomson Reuters Pharma data.
Non-US markets hold a lot of potential for expanding the vaccine’s sales, especially Japan, according to the company’s third-quarter earnings transcript. The company also secured permission in the US to add boys in the same age group to the vaccine pool, a move that could be repeated by regulators in other countries.