Merck announced that the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) unanimously voted in favor of updates to pneumococcal vaccination recommendations for adults 65 years and older, and for adults ages 19 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions (e.g., chronic conditions such as diabetes, chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, or chronic liver disease, as well as HIV, an immunocompromising condition) or other disease risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcoholism). In both groups, the ACIP voted to provisionally recommend vaccination either with a sequential regimen of VAXNEUVANCE followed by PNEUMOVAX 23, or with a single dose of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. These updates would apply to adults who have not previously received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or whose previous pneumococcal vaccination history is unknown.
Further details will be available from the CDC. These provisional recommendations will be reviewed by the director of the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services, and final recommendations will become official when published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
VAXNEUVANCE is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. PNEUMOVAX 23 is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by the 23 serotypes contained in the vaccine.
“Today’s vote reinforces the potential for VAXNEUVANCE in series with PNEUMOVAX 23 to help address a significant unmet need in the U.S. for adult populations at increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). VAXNEUVANCE in series with PNEUMOVAX 23 elicits a strong immune response to the serotypes shared by both vaccines, and together this regimen can help protect against pneumococcal serotypes responsible for about two-thirds of IPD cases in adults at increased risk,” said Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories. “We look forward to the CDC’s final, published recommendations and applaud the ACIP and the CDC for their continued efforts to address the significant burden of IPD by continuously evaluating vaccination recommendations utilizing a comprehensive body of scientific evidence.”
Subscribe to our e-Newsletters
Stay up to date with the latest news, articles, and events. Plus, get special offers
from American Pharmaceutical Review – all delivered right to your inbox! Sign up now!