Single-Dose Vial Use

Withdraw the 0.5-mL dose of vaccine from the single-dose vial using a sterile needle and syringe and use promptly. Discard vial after use.

Prefilled Syringe Use

This package does not contain a needle. Shake well before use. Attach a needle by twisting in a clockwise direction until the needle fits securely on the syringe. Administer the entire dose as per standard protocol. Discard syringe after use.

Injection-Site and Systemic Adverse Reactions

Injection-site reactions (pain, swelling, and erythema) and oral temperature were solicited using VRC-aided surveillance for five days after each injection of GARDASIL 9 during the clinical studies. The rates and severity of these solicited adverse reactions that occurred within five days following each dose of GARDASIL 9 compared with GARDASIL in Study 1 (girls and women 16 through 26 years of age) and Study 3 (girls 9 through 15 years of age) are presented in Table 1. Among subjects who received GARDASIL 9, the rates of injection-site pain were approximately equal across the three reporting time periods. Rates of injection-site swelling and injection-site erythema increased following each successive dose of GARDASIL 9. Recipients of GARDASIL 9 had numerically higher rates of injection-site reactions compared with recipients of GARDASIL.

Unsolicited injection-site and systemic adverse reactions (assessed as vaccine-related by the investigator) observed among recipients of either GARDASIL 9 or GARDASIL in Studies 1 and 3 at a frequency of at least 1% are shown in Table 2. Few individuals discontinued study participation due to adverse experiences after receiving either vaccine (GARDASIL 9 = 0.1% vs. GARDASIL <0.1%).

In an uncontrolled clinical trial with 639 boys and 1,878 girls 9 through 15 years of age (Study 2), the rates and severity of solicited adverse reactions following each dose of GARDASIL 9 were similar between boys and girls. Rates of solicited and unsolicited injection-site and systemic adverse reactions in boys 9 through 15 years of age were similar to those among girls 9 through 15 years of age. Solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions reported by boys in this study are shown in Table 3.

In another uncontrolled clinical trial with 1,394 boys and men and 1,075 girls and women 16 through 26 years of age (Study 7), the rates of solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions following each dose of GARDASIL 9 among girls and women 16 through 26 years of age were similar to those reported in Study 1. Rates of solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions reported by boys and men 16 through 26 years of age in this study are shown in Table 3.

In an uncontrolled clinical trial with 640 women 27 through 45 years of age and 570 girls and women 16 through 26 years of age (Study 9), the rates of solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions following each dose of GARDASIL 9 among girls and women 16 through 26 years of age were similar to those reported in Study 1. Rates of solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions reported by women 27 through 45 years of age in this study are shown in Table 3.

Serious Adverse Events in Clinical Studies

Serious adverse events were collected throughout the entire study period (range one month to 48 months post-last dose) for the seven clinical studies for GARDASIL 9. Out of the 15,705 individuals who were administered GARDASIL 9 and had safety follow-up, 354 reported a serious adverse event; representing 2.3% of the population. As a comparison, of the 7,378 individuals who were administered GARDASIL and had safety follow-up, 185 reported a serious adverse event; representing 2.5% of the population. Four GARDASIL 9 recipients each reported at least one serious adverse event that was determined to be vaccine-related. The vaccine-related serious adverse reactions were pyrexia, allergy to vaccine, asthmatic crisis, and headache.

Deaths in the Entire Study Population

Across the clinical studies, ten deaths occurred (five each in the GARDASIL 9 and GARDASIL groups); none were assessed as vaccine-related. Causes of death in the GARDASIL 9 group included one automobile accident, one suicide, one case of acute lymphocytic leukemia, one case of hypovolemic septic shock, and one unexplained sudden death 678 days following the last dose of GARDASIL 9. Causes of death in the GARDASIL control group included one automobile accident, one airplane crash, one cerebral hemorrhage, one gunshot wound, and one stomach adenocarcinoma.

Systemic Autoimmune Disorders

In all of the clinical trials with GARDASIL 9 subjects were evaluated for new medical conditions potentially indicative of a systemic autoimmune disorder. In total, 2.2% (351/15,703) of GARDASIL 9 recipients and 3.3% (240/7,378) of GARDASIL recipients reported new medical conditions potentially indicative of systemic autoimmune disorders, which were similar to rates reported following GARDASIL, AAHS control, or saline placebo in historical clinical trials.

Clinical Trials Experience for GARDASIL 9 in Individuals Who Have Been Previously Vaccinated with GARDASIL

A clinical study (Study 4) evaluated the safety of GARDASIL 9 in 12- through 26-year-old girls and women who had previously been vaccinated with three doses of GARDASIL. The time interval between the last injection of GARDASIL and the first injection of GARDASIL 9 ranged from approximately 12 to 36 months. Individuals were administered GARDASIL 9 or saline placebo and safety was evaluated using VRC-aided surveillance for 14 days after each injection of GARDASIL 9 or saline placebo in these individuals. The individuals who were monitored included 608 individuals who received GARDASIL 9 and 305 individuals who received saline placebo. Few (0.5%) individuals who received GARDASIL 9 discontinued due to adverse reactions. The vaccine-related adverse experiences that were observed among recipients of GARDASIL 9 at a frequency of at least 1.0% and also at a greater frequency than that observed among saline placebo recipients are shown in Table 4. Overall, the safety profile was similar between individuals vaccinated with GARDASIL 9 who were previously vaccinated with GARDASIL and those who were naïve to HPV vaccination with the exception of numerically higher rates of injection-site swelling and erythema among individuals who were previously vaccinated with GARDASIL (Tables 1 and 4).

Safety in Concomitant Use with Menactra and Adacel

In Study 5, the safety of GARDASIL 9 when administered concomitantly with Menactra [Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y and W-135) Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine] and Adacel [Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed (Tdap)] was evaluated in a randomized study of 1,241 boys (n = 620) and girls (n = 621) with a mean age of 12.2 years [see Clinical Studies (14.8)].

Of the 1,237 boys and girls vaccinated, 1,220 had safety follow-up for injection-site adverse reactions. The rates of injection-site adverse reactions were similar between the concomitant group and non-concomitant group (vaccination with GARDASIL 9 separated from vaccination with Menactra and Adacel by 1 month) with the exception of an increased rate of swelling reported at the injection site for GARDASIL 9 in the concomitant group (14.4%) compared to the non-concomitant group (9.4%). The majority of injection-site swelling adverse reactions were reported as being mild to moderate in intensity.

GARDASIL 9

In addition to the adverse reactions reported in the clinical studies, the following adverse experiences have been spontaneously reported during post-approval use of GARDASIL 9:

Gastrointestinal disorders: Vomiting

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Urticaria

GARDASIL

Additionally, the following postmarketing adverse experiences have been spontaneously reported for GARDASIL:

Blood and lymphatic system disorders: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lymphadenopathy.

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: Pulmonary embolus.

Gastrointestinal disorders: Pancreatitis.

General disorders and administration site conditions: Asthenia, chills, death, malaise.

Immune system disorders: Autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions, bronchospasm.

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders: Arthralgia, myalgia.

Nervous system disorders: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, motor neuron disease, paralysis, seizures, transverse myelitis.

Infections and infestations: Cellulitis.

Vascular disorders: Deep venous thrombosis.

Pregnancy Exposure Registry

There is a pregnancy exposure registry to monitor pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to GARDASIL 9 during pregnancy. To enroll in or obtain information about the registry, call Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC at 1-800-986-8999.

Risk Summary

All pregnancies have a risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of GARDASIL 9 in pregnant women. Available human data do not demonstrate vaccine-associated increase in risk of major birth defects and miscarriages when GARDASIL 9 is administered during pregnancy.

In one developmental toxicity study, 0.5 mL of a vaccine formulation containing between 1 and 1.5 –fold of each of the 9 HPV antigen types was administered to female rats prior to mating and during gestation. In a second study, animals were administered a single human dose (0.5 mL) of GARDASIL 9 prior to mating, during gestation and during lactation. These animal studies revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus due to GARDASIL 9 [see Data].

Data

Risk Summary

Available data are not sufficient to assess the effects of GARDASIL 9 on the breastfed infant or on milk production/excretion. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for GARDASIL 9 and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from GARDASIL 9 or from the underlying maternal condition. For preventive vaccines, the underlying maternal condition is susceptibility to disease prevented by the vaccine.

Individuals 16 through 26 Years of Age

Efficacy of GARDASIL was assessed in five AAHS-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials evaluating 24,596 individuals 16 through 26 years of age (20,541 girls and women and 4,055 boys and men). The results of these trials are shown in Table 6 below.

In an extension study in females 16 through 26 years of age at enrollment, prophylactic efficacy of GARDASIL through Month 60 against overall cervical and genital disease related to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 was 100% (95% CI: 12.3%, 100%) compared to AAHS control.

An extension study in girls and women 16 through 23 years of age used national health care registries in Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to monitor endpoint cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related CIN (any grade), AIS, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, or vaginal cancer among 2,650 girls and women 16 through 23 years of age at enrollment who were randomized to vaccination with GARDASIL. An interim analysis of the per-protocol effectiveness population included 1,902 subjects who completed the GARDASIL vaccination series within one year, were naïve to the relevant HPV type through 1 month post-dose 3, had no protocol violations, and had follow-up data available. The median follow-up from the first dose of vaccine was 6.7 years with a range of 2.8 to 8.4 years. At the time of interim analysis, no cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related CIN (any grade), AIS, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, or vaginal cancer were observed over a total of 5,765 person-years at risk.

Girls and Boys 9 through 15 Years of Age

An extension study of 614 girls and 565 boys 9 through 15 years of age at enrollment who were randomized to vaccination with GARDASIL actively followed subjects for endpoint cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related persistent infection, CIN (any grade), AIS, VIN, VaIN, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, and external genital lesions from the initiation of sexual activity or age 16 onwards. An interim analysis of the per-protocol effectiveness population included 246 girls and 168 boys who completed the GARDASIL vaccination series within one year, were seronegative to the relevant HPV type at initiation of the vaccination series, and had not initiated sexual activity prior to receiving the third dose of GARDASIL. The median follow-up from the first dose of vaccine was 7.2 years with a range of 0.5 to 8.5 years. At the time of interim analysis, no cases of persistent infection of at least 12 months' duration and no cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related CIN (any grade), AIS, VIN, VaIN, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, or external genital lesions were observed over a total 1,105 person-years at risk. There were 4 cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related persistent infection of at least 6 months' duration, including 3 cases related to HPV 16 and 1 case related to HPV 6, none of which persisted to 12 months' duration.

Individuals 27 through 45 Years of Age

A clinical trial evaluated efficacy of GARDASIL in 3,253 women 27 through 45 years of age, based on a combined endpoint of HPV 6-, 11-, 16- or 18-related persistent infection, genital warts, vulvar and vaginal dysplastic lesions of any grade, CIN of any grade, AIS, and cervical cancer. These women were randomized 1:1 to receive either GARDASIL or AAHS control. The clinical trial was conducted in two phases: a base study and a long-term study extension. The per-protocol efficacy (PPE) population received all three vaccinations within one year of enrollment, did not have major deviations from the study protocol, were naïve (PCR negative and seronegative) to the relevant HPV type(s) (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) prior to dose 1 and remained PCR negative to the relevant HPV type(s) through one month post-dose 3 (Month 7).

In the base study (median duration of follow-up of 3.5 years post-dose 3), the efficacy of GARDASIL against the combined incidence of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, and 18-related persistent infection, genital warts, VIN, VaIN, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, cervical dysplasia (any grade CIN), AIS and cervical cancer in the PPE population was 87.7% (95% CI: 75.4%, 94.6%). The efficacy estimate for the combined endpoint was driven primarily by prevention of persistent infection. The efficacy of GARDASIL against the combined incidence of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, and 18-related genital warts or cervical dysplasia was 95.0% (95% CI: 68.7%, 99.9%) in the PPE population. While no statistically significant efficacy was demonstrated for GARDASIL in the base study for prevention of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2 and 3 (CIN 2/3), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) or cervical cancer related to HPV types 16 and 18, there was 1 case of CIN 2/3 observed in the GARDASIL group and 5 cases in the placebo group. The CIN 2 case in the GARDASIL group tested positive by PCR for HPV 16 and HPV 51.

In the long-term extension of this study, subjects from Colombia (n=600) randomized to the GARDASIL group in the base study were monitored for HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, and 18-related genital warts or cervical dysplasia. The median follow-up post-dose 3 was 8.9 years with a range of 0.1 to 10.1 years over a total of 3,518 person-years. During the long-term extension phase, no cases of HPV 6-, 11-, 16-, or 18-related CIN (any grade) or genital warts were observed in the PPE population.

Effectiveness of GARDASIL in men 27 through 45 years of age is inferred from efficacy data in women 27 through 45 years of age as described above and supported by immunogenicity data from a clinical trial in which 150 men, 27 through 45 years of age, received a 3-dose regimen of GARDASIL (0, 2, 6 months). A cross-study analysis of per-protocol immunogenicity populations compared Month 7 anti-HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 GMTs of these 27- through 45-year-old men (Study A) to those of 16- through 26-year old boys and men (Study B) in whom efficacy of GARDASIL had been established (see Table 6). GMT ratios (Study A/Study B) for HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 were 0.82 (95%CI: 0.65, 1.03), 0.79 (95%CI: 0.66, 0.93), 0.91 (95%CI: 0.72, 1.13), and 0.74 (95%CI: 0.59, 0.92), respectively.

Studies Supporting the Efficacy of GARDASIL 9 against HPV Types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58

The efficacy of GARDASIL 9 in 16- through 26-year-old girls and women was assessed in an active comparator-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (Study 1) that included a total of 14,204 women (GARDASIL 9 = 7,099; GARDASIL = 7,105) who were enrolled and vaccinated without pre-screening for the presence of HPV infection. Subjects were followed up with a median duration of 40 months (range 0 to 64 months) after the last vaccination.

The primary efficacy evaluation was conducted in the PPE population based on a composite clinical endpoint of HPV 31-, 33-, 45-, 52-, and 58-related cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, CIN 2/3 or AIS, VIN 2/3, and VaIN 2/3. Efficacy was further evaluated with the clinical endpoints of HPV 31-, 33-, 45-, 52-, and 58-related CIN 1, vulvar and vaginal disease of any grade, and persistent infection. In addition, the study also evaluated the impact of GARDASIL 9 on the rates of HPV 31-, 33-, 45-, 52-, and 58-related abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) tests, cervical and external genital biopsy, and definitive therapy [including loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and conization]. Efficacy for all endpoints was measured starting after the Month 7 visit.

GARDASIL 9 prevented HPV 31-, 33-, 45-, 52-, and 58-related persistent infection and disease and also reduced the incidence of HPV 31-, 33-, 45-, 52-, and 58-related Pap test abnormalities, cervical and external genital biopsy, and definitive therapy (Table 7).

Studies Supporting the Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18

Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against persistent infection and disease related to HPV Types 6, 11, 16, or 18 was inferred from non-inferiority comparisons in Study 1 (16- through 26-year-old girls and women) and Study 3 (9- through 15-year-old girls) of GMTs following vaccination with GARDASIL 9 with those following vaccination with GARDASIL. A low number of efficacy endpoint cases related to HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in both vaccination groups precluded a meaningful assessment of efficacy using disease endpoints associated with these HPV types. The primary analyses were conducted in the per-protocol population, which included subjects who received all three vaccinations within one year of enrollment, did not have major deviations from the study protocol, and were HPV-naïve. HPV-naïve individuals were defined as seronegative to the relevant HPV type(s) prior to dose 1 and among female subjects 16 through 26 years of age in Study 1 PCR negative to the relevant HPV type(s) in cervicovaginal specimens prior to dose 1 through Month 7.

Anti-HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 GMTs at Month 7 for GARDASIL 9 among girls 9 through 15 years of age and young women 16 through 26 years of age were non-inferior to those among the corresponding populations for GARDASIL (Table 8). At least 99.7% of individuals included in the analyses for each HPV type became seropositive by Month 7.

Study Supporting the Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against Vaccine HPV Types in 9- through 15-Year-Old Girls and Boys

Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against persistent infection and disease related to vaccine HPV types in 9- through 15-year-old girls and boys was inferred from non-inferiority comparison conducted in the PPI population in Study 2 of GMTs following vaccination with GARDASIL 9 among 9- through 15-year-old girls and boys with those among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women. Anti-HPV GMTs at Month 7 among 9- through 15-year-old girls and boys were non-inferior to anti-HPV GMTs among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women (Table 9).

Study Supporting the Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against Vaccine HPV Types in 16- through 26-Year-Old Boys and Men

Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against persistent infection and disease related to vaccine HPV types in 16- through 26-year-old boys and men was inferred from non-inferiority comparison conducted in the PPI population in Study 7 of GMTs following vaccination with GARDASIL 9 among 16- through 26-year-old HM with those among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women. Anti-HPV GMTs at Month 7 among 16- through 26-year-old HM were non-inferior to anti-HPV GMTs among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women (Table 10). Study 7 also enrolled 313 16- through 26-year-old HIV-negative MSM. At Month 7, anti-HPV GMT ratios for MSM relative to HM ranged from 0.6 to 0.8, depending on HPV type. The GMT ratios for MSM relative to HM were generally similar to those previously observed in clinical trials with GARDASIL.

Study Supporting the Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against Vaccine HPV Types in 27- through 45-Year-Old Women

Effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 against persistent infection and disease related to vaccine HPV types in 27- through 45-year-old women was supported by immunobridging comparisons conducted in the PPI population in Study 9. In Study 9, the GMT ratios of anti-HPV responses at Month 7 among 27- through 45-year-old women relative to anti-HPV responses among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women met the success criteria of having the lower bound of the 95% CI of the GMT ratios greater than 0.50 for HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 (Table 11).

Immune Response to GARDASIL 9 across All Clinical Trials

Across all clinical trials, at least 99.2% of individuals included in the analyses for each of the nine vaccine HPV types became seropositive by Month 7. Anti-HPV GMTs at Month 7 among 9- through 15-year-old girls and boys and 16- through 26-year-old boys and men were comparable to anti-HPV responses among 16- through 26-year-old girls and women in the combined database of immunogenicity studies for GARDASIL 9.

Persistence of Immune Response to GARDASIL 9

In an extension study of individuals in Study 2, among girls and boys 9 through 15 years of age at enrollment (range of 494 to 525 subjects with evaluable data across HPV types) and followed for 10 years post dose 3, anti-HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 GMTs as measured by cLIA were decreased compared with corresponding values at one-month post-dose 3. The proportion of seropositive subjects ranged from 99.6% to 100% at one month post-dose 3 and from 81.3% to 97.7% at 10 years post-dose 3, depending on HPV type.

Administration of GARDASIL 9 to Individuals Previously Vaccinated with GARDASIL

Study 4 evaluated the immunogenicity of 3 doses of GARDASIL 9 in 921 girls and women (12 through 26 years of age) who had previously been vaccinated with 3 doses of GARDASIL. Prior to enrollment in the study, over 99% of subjects had received three injections of GARDASIL within a one year period. The time interval between the last injection of GARDASIL and the first injection of GARDASIL 9 ranged from approximately 12 to 36 months.

Seropositivity to HPV Types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 in the per protocol population ranged from 98.3 to 100% by Month 7 in individuals who received GARDASIL 9. The anti-HPV 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 GMTs for the population previously vaccinated with GARDASIL were 25-63% of the GMTs in the combined populations from Studies 1, 2, 3, and 5, who had not previously received GARDASIL, although the clinical relevance of these differences is unknown. Efficacy of GARDASIL 9 in preventing infection and disease related to HPV Types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 in individuals previously vaccinated with GARDASIL has not been assessed.

Concomitant Use of Hormonal Contraceptives

Among 7,269 female recipients of GARDASIL 9 (16 through 26 years of age), 60.2% used hormonal contraceptives during the vaccination period of clinical studies 1 and 2. Use of hormonal contraceptives did not appear to affect the type of specific immune responses to GARDASIL 9.