Sanofi Pasteur MSD’s Hexyon receives first European usage

Sanofi Pasteur MSD has announced that its six-in-one paediatric vaccine Hexyon has been used in Europe for the first time.

A two-month-old infant called Ben from Monchengladbach in Germany was treated with the vaccine, making him the first recipient of the product since it was approved by the European Commission in April 2013.

Hexyon is the only fully liquid ready-to-use vaccine to protect infants against the priority diseases diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and invasive infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B.

Because of its liquid formulation, all components can be contained in one syringe and do not require any reconstitution, making administration simple and secure.

Dr Ralph Kollges, the paediatrician who carried out the injection, said: "When vaccinating infants, simplicity of the process plays an important role. Hexyon's ready-to-use syringe saves me time and minimises the risk for contamination and injury."

Results of multicentre clinical studies involving approximately 5,000 infants have shown that Hexyon offers a good safety profile and induces a robust immune response against all six targeted diseases.