GSK to launch five major vaccines over the next five years

GlaxoSmithKline expects to launch five major new vaccines within the next five years. These will include Cervarix for the prevention of HPV which causes cervical cancer; Rotarix for rotavirus gastroenteritis; Streptorix for pneumococcal disease; an improved vaccine for influenza; and vaccine combinations against meningitis.

The company estimates that these five products will have a potential market value of £6-10bn by 2010.

'The global vaccines market is poised for accelerated growth due to product innovations and a growing appreciation of the benefits of prevention over treatment,' said David Stout, president of pharmaceuticals for GSK.

GSK is currently conducting 140 vaccine studies in more than 100,000 people worldwide. Other novel vaccines in GSK's pipeline include Mosquirix for malaria, which is currently in Phase Phase II and is expected to enter Phase III in 2007. A similar timescale is predicted for the two-dose Dengue fever vaccine, which has shown a 100% immune response against all four virus subtypes that cause the disease.

The company is also evaluating vaccines that may prevent relapse in cancer patients. GSK's vaccine approach uses proprietary adjuvant systems to target a robust T-cell response to prevent disease recurrence. Initial data is expected later this year against melanoma, and in 2006 for vaccines against recurrence of breast, lung and prostate cancer.