Sanofi Pasteur MSD to extend Gardasil treatment

PARIS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Sanofi Pasteur MSD said it aimed to extend the use of its cervical cancer vaccine treatment Gardasil, which is battling to win market share against the rival drug Cervarix developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L).

"Sanofi Pasteur MSD has filed for an update of the license for the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to include the prevention of vulvar and vaginal cancers due to human papillomavirus types 16 and 18," it said in a statement.

"The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has accepted the filing and has started its review," it added.

Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between the vaccine division of France's Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) and U.S. group Merck & Co. Inc (MRK.N).

Both Cervarix and Gardasil protect against cancer-causing strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) and are designed to be given to girls and young women.