Merck's Gardasil successor could block 90% of cervical cancers--but first, uptake has to improve

Merck's Gardasil HPV vaccine--FierceBiotech file photo
Merck's Gardasil

According to new research, Merck's ($MRK) investigational, 9-valent HPV vaccine has the potential to block about 90% of invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide. But realizing that potential will be no piece of cake. First, the drug giant will have to solve some uptake problems that have been weighing down the prospects of its predecessor, Gardasil, since it rolled out in 2006. More from FierceVaccines