human papillomavirus vaccine l1, type 6, 11, 16, 18

Gardasil is a quadrivalent recombinant vaccine developed by Merck & Co. to prevent infections caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18. It is composed of purified virus-like particles (VLPs) formed by the self-assembly of the major capsid (L1) protein of each of the four HPV types. HPV types 16 and 18 are high-risk genotypes responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers and a significant portion of other HPV-related malignancies, while types 6 and 11 are low-risk genotypes that cause about 90% of genital warts. The vaccine works by inducing a robust humoral immune response, generating neutralizing antibodies that prevent the virus from entering host cells. It is indicated for the prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers, as well as genital warts and precancerous or dysplastic lesions such as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Brand names

GardasilSilgard

Other names

HPV 6/11/16/18 vaccinequadrivalent HPV vaccineHPV4HPV-4HPV 4human papillomavirus quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16, 18) vaccine, recombinant