Indian scientists have successfully isolated two proteins ‘L-1 and L-2’ that could lead to development of a vaccine for cervical cancer as part of a multi-centric initiative being conducted at ten leading cancer research institutes in the country.

The Rs 2-crore DBT funded study, to probe the feasibility of a human vaccine for papiloma virus that cause cervical cancer and comprehensive documentation of cervical cancer scenario in the country, was initiated just nine months ago.

The project is being jointly done by the National Institute of Immunology and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Cancer Research Institute and the Advanced Centre for Cancer Research in Kolkata, Tata Memorial Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Navi Mumbai, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, Adayar Cancer Research Institute, Chennai, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvaranthapuram.

The leading scientists associated with the study are excited to have got the lead for developing the vaccine and hope to commercialize the technology within one to two years.

“The studies revealed exciting leads and we are now in the process of fine-tuning the culture process of the proteins that goes to the next round of research and commercialization stage. Already we have short-listed three Indian companies to partner with the project for further advanced research and future commercialization,” Dr. M Radhakrishna Pillai, Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananpthapuram and a leading cancer research scientist in the country, told Pharmabiz.

He said the lead could help India develop the cervical cancer vaccine at very low cost when compared to the vaccines being developed by two leading multinational companies, Merck & Co and GSK. Both the companies are yet to try the vaccine in India.

As per the available data, one-third of the world’s cervical cancer cases are in India and every year 100, 000 new cases of cervical cancer are detected in the country.