US FDA approves vaccine protecting against six diseases
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vaxelis for the prevention of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, and diseases due to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), in children.
Vaxelis, an immunization, was developed through a partnership between Sanofi and Merck, known as MSD outside of North America. The companies are currently working to establish a sustainable supply to meet the anticipated US demand, which will not be available until 2020.
A spokesperson for Sanofi told us that the vaccine will be manufactured at Sanofi’s Toronto facility. The spokesperson was not able to disclose the estimated demand, supply needs, or commercialization details at this time.
Combination vaccines and inoculations
Combination vaccines are not uncommon for childhood immunizations: Pediarix, ProQuad, Kinrix, and Pentacel, all combine prevention against diseases. Vaxelis includes most childhood immunization and inoculations apart from Measles, mumps, and Rubella (MMR),pnuemococcal, rotavirus, or varicella vaccines.
According to an article published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), combined vaccinations lead to higher rates of compliance with vaccination schedules and better protection against disease, as well as decreasing the amount of storage space needed.
Vaxelis includes protection against diseases caused by exposure to Hib bacterium. The Hib vaccine protects against diseases that may develop after exposure to the bacterium such as pneumonia and acute bacterial meningitis.
