Just caught thi snippit from CNN kids - CSL is the patent holder...

Just caught thi snippit from CNN kids - CSL is the patent holder behing GSK and MERK and is developing its HPV vaccine with MERK and should be at market before GSK - even then it will get royalities from GSK's sales - but will gather more from the Merk drug as it also protects against Gobblins syndrome or genital warts.

see:

CSL - broker reports on ebit effects fy 06 / 07 of the csl drug.....


its GOLD for Australia !!!!!!!!!!!!11


Gates backs vaccines for poor

Microsoft founder is backing campaign to get cervical cancer shots to women in poor nations.
June 14, 2005: 6:42 AM EDT





Compare Mortgage Offers
Up to four free mortgage, refinance or home equity offers - one easy form.
www.nextag.com

Refinance Rates Hit Record Lows
Get $150,000 loan for $720 per month. Refinance while rates are low.
www.lowermybills.com

Save on All Your Calls with Vonage
When looking for local regional and long distance calling, use Vonage to make...
www.vonage.com

Comcast High-Speed Internet
Order Comcast High-Speed Internet. Get your first 6 months of service for only...
www.comcastoffers.com


LONDON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates is putting his financial muscle behind a campaign to get life-saving cervical cancer vaccines to women in poor countries.

Two rival vaccines targeting the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the disease, are expected to be launched in the next year or two by Merck & Co. Inc. (Research) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (Research).

But it is unclear how the novel shots will be funded in the developing world, where most deaths from cervical cancer occur.

In a bid to speed their development and introduction, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been granted $7 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Gates charity has donated a further $5.9 million to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Harvard University and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health.

The money will be used to support various preparatory projects, rather than full-scale vaccination programmes.

In case of the WHO, the cash will be used to develop standards and guidelines for future vaccine schemes. The other groups will work on developing private sector partnerships and studying the epidemiology of HPV and cervical cancer.

Merck's product Gardasil is expected to be first to market but GSK's Cervarix is not far behind, and industry analysts expect both vaccines to become multi billion-dollar sellers.

Both target HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, but they vary in the number of strains they attack and the way the vaccine is manufactured.

Cervical cancer kills a quarter of a million women each year, most of them in the developing world.

Jean Stephenne, president of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, the vaccines unit of GSK, said Tuesday he applauded the Gates Foundation's involvement.

"The work which will be done by the WHO and other recipients of these grants will help in overcoming some of these challenges and accomplishing the goal of getting this vaccine to all women no matter where they live," he said.

Developing countries are a potentially important market for vaccine manufacturers, which are expected to offer preferential prices for the poor if they can secure large orders and financial backing from governments or charities.

GSK is working with MedImmune on its vaccine while Merck is partnering Gardasil in Europe with Sanofi-Aventis.


singas