Pfizer Pneumonia Vaccine Meets Endpoints

Pfizer Inc. said a landmark study of its pneumonia vaccine met primary and secondary endpoints, showing the ability to reduce first episodes of several kinds of pneumonia.

Prevenar 13, Pfizer's pneumonia vaccine, was able to prevent first episodes of vaccine-type community-acquired pneumonia--or pneumonia spread through normal social contact--in adults 65 years or older, the drug maker said Wednesday.

During the trial, there were nearly 46% fewer first episodes of the pneumonia in patients treated with Prevenar 13 versus those who received a placebo.

Pfizer said the trial is the first in adults to clearly demonstrate a significant reduction in vaccine-type pneumococcal pneumonia.

The trial, which studied 85,000 subjects, also significantly reduced nonbacteremic/noninvasive vaccine-type pneumococcal pneumonia and vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease.

"With the aging of the population, hospitalizations due to pneumococcal pneumonia represent a growing burden to public health systems. Evidence from this study is particularly important for a population in which age-related decline of the immune system makes it difficult to prevent disease," said Dr. Emilio A. Emini, senior vice president, Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer.

Prevenar 13 was licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2011 under an accelerated approval process to address an unmet medical need in older adults, Pfizer said.

Write to Everdeen Mason at [e-mail]

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