Sanofi Pasteur receives WHO prequalification for Menomune vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur has announced that its quadrivalent meningococcal disease vaccine Menomune has become the first product of its kind to receive World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification.

The prequalification procedure means that Menomune has been accepted for purchase by United Nations Agencies, with Unicef's supply division having been notified of this decision by the WHO.

It provides assurance that Sanofi's drug meets WHO recommendations on quality, safety and efficacy, having shipped more than 22 million doses since it first became available in 1981.

Menomune is designed for active immunisation against invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135, for use in patients over the age of two.

Dr Luc Kuykens, Sanofi Pasteur's chief medical officer, said: "Menomune is a proven vaccine with a 32-year track record of providing broad protection against this serious disease, so we try to keep a stockpile of the vaccine in case of any outbreaks."

This comes after the company commenced a phase III trial of an investigational vaccine for life-threatening C. difficile infections last month.