Pfizer developing stronger pneumonia vaccine

Multinational pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is close to developing a more effective pneumonia vaccine.

In a statement, Pfizer said its tests in the past years have shown its PCV 20 vaccine candidate to be safe and effective and expects to ask late this year the US Food and Drug Administration for approval to take it to the market.

At present, the Philippines uses PCV 13 which covers 13 pneumococcal serotypes, or microorganisms that carry disease risks.

The vaccine, however, applies to children only.

PCV 20, which carries all the PCV 13 protection plus seven more, will cover those from 18 years old and above, according to Pfizer.

“The seven new serotypes included in PCV 20 are global causes of invasive pneumococcal disease, are associated with high case-fatality rates, antibiotic resistance, and/or meningitis,” Kathrin Jansen Ph.D., Pfizer senior vice president and head of Vaccine Research and Development, said.

The 20 serotypes to be covered by the vaccine candidate will protect people from a majority of pneumococcal diseases globally, she said.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children and PCV 13 so far gives the best protection to Filipino children.

PCV 13 replaced PCV 10 in 2014 which covered three fewer serotypes that up to now are prevalent in the country and therefore still pose a risk to children. — DVM, GMA News