An announcement was made on Tuesday by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) regarding the European Commission’s approval in relation to the company’s pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). The Commission allowed an expanded indication for the company’s PVC, which was named as Prevenar 13. This vaccine was manufactured with an aim of prevention of a particular type of pneumonia, which is caused by 13 pneumococcal serotypes. These very serotypes are present in the vaccine that causes pneumonia in adults.
The vaccine’s composition is pretty interesting. It comprises of pneumococcal polysaccharide sugar chains and a carrier protein CRM 197. Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) technology conjugates the two of them and enables the vaccine to perform its action.
Prevenar 13, Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), is the company’s second best product, making a large number of sales. The drug was first approved in Europe, December 2009. Prevenar’s target at that time was to prevent infants and children from incurring invasive pneumococcal disease. Prevenar is currently being deployed in approximately 120 countries across the globe for this very indication; U.S. and Japan are also included in these countries. While vaccine used in the former case is merely for infants and children; there are approximately 50 countries out there where Prevenar is being deployed for the prevention of disease in people aged 50 years or more than that. In United States and European Union, Prevenar is used for kids and teenagers, between the ages of 6 to 17. Overall, the authority and reliability of Prevenar 13 has been established across the globe. If the vaccine also gains European approval, then undeniably, it is going to rise to the top as Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) blockbuster drug.
The question which sprouts its head at this juncture is that what exactly pneumococcal disease is. This disease comprises of an array of infections which are the outcome of pneumococcus bacteria. The infections ensuing from these bacteria can lead to severe health deterioration; resulting into conditions like pneumonia and meningitis. Blood and ear infections might also be a possible consequence. These health conditions can become intensely severe and can be a major cause of deaths; not merely in one country, rather all around the world.
European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use published a report in the previous month. In this report, Prevenar was shown in a positive light which ultimately led to its European approval. A study was carried out by the agency, including 85,000 subjects and yielded results that went greatly in favor of Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) Prevenar 13. A significant prevention from both invasive and non-invasive CAP (community-acquired pneumonia) was observed.
Prevenar 13 has been playing a significant role in enhancing Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) sales. Current trends predict that it will continue boosting the company’s sales in future as well. The statistics of year 2014 delineate sales of $4.5 billion. Furthermore, after the recent approval, these sales will rise even more and bring great profit to Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE).
