Pfizer Late-Stage Meningitis B Drug Studies Meet Endpoints

By Chelsey Dulaney 

Pfizer Inc. said Friday that two late-stage studies for its Trumenba meningitis B vaccine met their primary endpoint goals, showing "robust immune responses" against some strains of meningococcal disease.

One study included 3,600 healthy individuals ages 10 through 18, while the other included 3,300 individuals aged 18 through 25.

Kathrin Jansen, senior vice president of vaccine research and development for Pfizer, said the data supports vaccination of adolescents and young adults to prevent meningococcal disease.

Trumenba was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2014 for 10-25-year-olds.

Pfizer has been focusing on building its meningitis vaccine program lately.

In June, Pfizer agreed to buy two meningitis vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline PLC for about $130 million. The acquisition followed Pfizer's purchase last year of Baxter International Inc.'s meningococcal disease vaccine NeisVac-C.

Write to Chelsey Dulaney at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 21, 2015 09:01 ET (13:01 GMT)

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