CERVAVAC: India’s First HPV Vaccine Gets WHO Prequalification

Subject: GS 03: Science and Technology 

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified CERVAVAC.

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About CERVAVAC

• It is India’s first indigenously developed quadrivalent HPV vaccine, manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
• HPV Types Covered by CERVAVAC:
• • HPV 16 and 18: High-risk types responsible for a large proportion of cervical cancers.
  • HPV 6 and 11: Responsible for most anogenital warts.
• Target Group: Licensed in India for girls and boys aged 9–26 years. 

About HPV and Importance of Vaccine

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV): A DNA virus transmitted primarily through intimate skin-to-skin contact.
  • Persistent infection with high-risk types causes more than 95% of cervical cancer cases and can also cause anal, vulval, vaginal and other cancers, as well as genital warts. 
• Gender-Neutral Protection: Vaccination of girls and boys helps prevent HPV-related diseases in both sexes.
• WHO Recommendation: Prioritises vaccination of girls aged 9–14 years, before exposure to HPV.
• Other HPV Vaccines: Gardasil-4, Gardasil-9, Cervarix, Cecolin and Walrinvax.

About WHO Prequalification

• WHO Prequalification is an assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that vaccines meet international standards of quality, safety and efficacy, making them eligible for procurement by United Nations agencies.
• Assessment Criteria: Includes evaluation of manufacturing processes, quality-control procedures and consistency of vaccine batches.
• Continued Monitoring: WHO conducts periodic reassessments, vaccine testing and manufacturing-site inspections. 
  • Prequalification may be suspended or withdrawn if standards are not maintained.
• Regulatory Status: WHO prequalification does not replace national regulatory approval or guarantee actual procurement.
• India’s Presence in WHO-Prequalified Vaccines:
  • Serum Institute of India: Has WHO-prequalified vaccines against several diseases, including measles, polio, hepatitis B, rotavirus, rabies and malaria.
  • Bharat Biotech’s Typbar-TCV was the first typhoid conjugate vaccine to receive WHO prequalification.  
  • Zydus Lifesciences’ ZyVac TCV received WHO prequalification in September 2026.

India’s HPV Vaccination Programme

• Launch: February 28, 2026.
• Target Group: Approximately 1.2 crore girls aged 14 years.
• Vaccination Schedule: Free single-dose vaccination.
• Vaccine Used: Gardasil-4, manufactured by Merck, which protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
• Progress: More than 80 lakh doses had been administered by September 2026, according to the Union Health Ministry.

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Global Cervical Cancer Burden and Targets

• Global Burden: Cervical cancer caused an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths worldwide in 2020.
• WHO 90–70–90 Targets: By 2030, countries aim to achieve:
  • 90%: Girls fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15.
  • 70%: Women screened with a high-performance test by ages 35 and 45.
  • 90%: Women identified with cervical disease receiving appropriate treatment.

News Source: The Hindu

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