Pfizer Ready To Launch RSV Vaccines For Older Adults, Pregnant Women In US, Europe

March 9, 2023

U.S. drugmaker Pfizer is ready to launch its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for both older adults and pregnant women in the U.S. and Europe later this year, executives said on Thursday.

Both Pfizer and British drugmaker GSK have RSV vaccines they hope to launch in the U.S. and Europe this year, pending regulators’ approval.

“We are anticipating approval in both the U.S. and Europe in time for rollout in the fall,” Kena Swanson, Pfizer's head of viral vaccines research & development, told a media briefing at the company's biggest manufacturing and packaging site globally.

RSV is a leading cause of pneumonia in infants and the elderly, and decades of research have finally resulted in the two successful vaccines that Pfizer and GSK are racing to introduce.

Some 14,000 people die annually in the U.S. of the lower respiratory tract disease caused by the virus, and analysts see a multi-billion-dollar market for the vaccine by the end of the decade.

GSK told Reuters on Wednesday that it is also ready to launch its RSV vaccine for older adults in the U.S. this year without supply constraints.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to make an approval decision on both vaccines by May.

Annaliesa Anderson, Pfizer's head of vaccines research & development, told the same briefing that the company anticipates a population of about 4 million pregnant women annually in the U.S. who could eventually receive its RSV vaccine, though the market will take time to shape.

Given how contagious RSV is, the best way to protect infants from contracting the virus and becoming severely ill is by vaccinating their mothers during pregnancy, said Anderson.

GSK last year voluntarily stopped its clinical trial of its own RSV vaccine on pregnant women and is currently only pursuing the use of its vaccine on older adults, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.

Source: Reuters
Image: Reuters

THE METRO BUSINESS

Insider Tips for Excelling in MSBM’s Online Courses

Strategies for Success: MSBM’s Business Management Insights

Nations are vying to join the BRICS group, according to South Africa, as Russia assumes leadership.

AI-Driven Business Transformation: A Project Management Perspective.

Pfizer Ready To Launch RSV Vaccines For Older Adults, Pregnant Women In US, Europe

Top Stories

DUP has reached an agreement with the UK government to reinstate power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

Global Trade at Risk: The Implications of Red Sea Ship Attacks on Consumer Goods

UK to lend back Ghana's stolen 'crown jewels,' announces Asante Gold.

Colombia seeks international aid, declaring a wildfire disaster.

Related Posts

Pfizer Covid Booster Shots For High-Risk Adults Now Approved by CDC

15 Of The Top Companies For Women Working In Tech

Pfizer Boss: Annual Covid Jabs Will Be Required For Years To Come

Merck's COVID-19 Pill Versus Pfizer's: Which One Should You Opt For?

Courses you might like

Professional Certificate in Proposing An Effective Structure For Building Efficient Relationships With Stakeholders

Professional Certificate Course in Key Concepts in Project Leadership and Team Management

Professional Certificate Course in International Investment and Financing