<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in partnership with the Serum Institute of India is set&nbsp; to launche India’s first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Humain Papillomavirous vaccine (qHPV) against cervical cancer on Thursday, the Centre said in a statement on Wednesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The vaccine will be launched by the union minister of state (independent charge) science and technology, Jitendra Singh in Delhi, the statement said, Hindustan Times reported.</div><div><br></div><div>The indigenous vaccine will prove to be a low-cost, affordable vaccine, DBT said.</div><div><br></div><div>Officials from DBT explained that the new vaccine is based on VLP (virus like particles)-- like the hepatitis B vaccine--and is made to provide protection by generating antibodies against the HPV virus’s L1 protein.</div><div><br></div><div>This will especially be useful for nearly 50 million girls aged 9–14 years in India. Source: Hindustan Times</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh/fas</div>