Wyeth salutes WHO call to combat pneumococcal disease

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), salutes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) decision to support the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in national immunization programs worldwide.  In view of the demonstrated vaccine efficacy and high disease burden, WHO notes that PCV can help substantially reduce mortality and morbidity.  Pneumococcal disease is a significant concern to children’s health, estimated by WHO to result in up to one million deaths each year in young children around the world.

“Reducing the burden of pneumococcal disease is a vital step toward achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015,” says Bernard Poussot, President, Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman, Wyeth.  “Broad adoption of the WHO position has the potential to save millions of children’s lives around the world.  Wyeth is dedicated to doing its part, in collaboration with the GAVI Alliance, other international agencies and local governments, to bring PREVENAR^TM (Pneumococcal Saccharide Conjugated Vaccine, Adsorbed) to the world’s most vulnerable populations through an affordable and sustainable plan that is reflective of global economic and market conditions.”

Wyeth recently applied to WHO for pre-qualification status for PREVENAR.  If accepted, this status will enable international agencies to include the vaccine in mass immunization programs in the world’s least developed countries.  The pre-qualification process is expected to be completed by early 2008.

“To date, Wyeth has invested more than $1 billion in state-of-the-art facilities for the manufacturing of PREVENAR and the development and production of future vaccines,” says Jim Connolly, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Vaccines Business Unit. “These investments have resulted in a robust supply outlook for PREVENAR, which is an essential part in helping to protect both current and future generations against this potentially devastating disease.”

Wyeth Salutes WHO Call to Action to Combat Pneumococcal Disease

Many health authorities already have recognized the importance of protecting infants and young children against pneumococcal disease.  PREVENAR now is available in 74 countries and is part of the routine national childhood immunization schedule in 16 of these countries worldwide.

In addition, Wyeth is developing a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that targets additional serotypes.  This investigational vaccine currently is undergoing clinical development and potentially would offer broader coverage against pneumococcal disease for both infants and adults.

Sourced From: R&PM:Edelman