Gardasil dose reduction could boost EU sales for Merck-Sanofi joint venture

Now that the European Commission has officially approved a two-dose Gardasil regimen for early teens, Merck ($MRK) and Sanofi ($SNY)--who market the HPV vaccine in Europe through joint venture Sanofi Pasteur MSD--will see the number of shots per patient fall. But that doesn't mean they'll necessarily take a sales hit, with the move potentially expanding overall access and providing a bump both drugmakers could use. Report