Vaxneuvance is the new MSD pneumococcal vaccine that has just been approved by the AEMPS (Spanish Medicines Agency) under the Ministry of Health. This 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is intended to prevent invasive disease and pneumonia caused by 15 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in adults. In December 2021, the drug had already been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and this approval has almost coincided with the decision of the European Commission to extend the recommendation of the vaccine to babies, children and adolescents.
“The approval of the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is based on the results of a clinical program aimed at evaluating the immune response in the adult population with different health conditions. In light of its results, this vaccine represents an alternative for the prevention of invasive diseases and pneumonia caused by pneumococcus in healthy, immunocompetent or immunocompromised adults”, said Dr. Gonzalo Fernández, director of Medical Affairs Vaccines MSD Spain.
The vaccine protects against serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F and 33F, and has been approved after demonstrating its safety, efficacy and tolerability in seven Clinical studies. Dr. Javier Díez Domingo, head of the Fisabio Vaccine Research Area, stated: “We are facing a safe vaccine, which fits very well into Spanish epidemiology and has shown that it is robust for the 15 serotypes included”. This expert has explained that the protection against one of the “most dangerous” serotypes, number three, sees the efficiency of this vaccine reinforced.
“Older people, those with certain chronic pathologies or those who are immunocompromised, are at higher risk of contracting pneumococcal disease and suffering from serious complications”
“Serotype three is very special, not only does it usually lead to more seriousness and mortality, but it is also more complicated to identify”, since a liquid PCR is needed to detect it “and in Spain not many of these are performed”. In this case, the vaccine has shown more effectiveness against this serotype than the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). The expert adds that the new vaccine not only covers 10% more serotypes than its predecessor, but also improves the efficacy of those that were already included.
Vaccination is key in the elderly and chronic patients
Immunization against pneumococcus is especially important in certain population groups that are more vulnerable to this infection and that may suffer more serious consequences and sequelae due to its cause, such as the elderly and patients with certain chronic diseases.
Dr. Pilar Arrazola, head of the Preventive Medicine service at the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid, has highlighted the importance of vaccination for certain groups: “Some adults, including the elderly, those who suffer from certain chronic pathologies, or those who are immunocompromised, are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease and serious complications. Immunocompromised people or people with underlying chronic pathologies have higher hospitalization rates than healthy people. And the case fatality rate among hospitalized adults who have at least one prior pathology is significantly higher than in patients who do not have comorbidities.”
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