GlaxoSmithKline announces WHO approval of pneumococcal vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline has revealed that the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 10-Valent Synflorix.

This is the first pre-qualification for a vaccine against pneumococcal disease, which is a life-threatening disease affecting many children under the age of five in developing nations.

The approval allows UN agencies to purchase vaccines on behalf of developing countries and will accelerate global access to the product, the firm revealed.

Jean Stephenne, chief executive officer of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, said: “The vaccine helps protect against ten strains of the pneumococcal bacterium and can make a lasting public health impact in developing countries, where the disease burden is greatest.”

The strains that Synflorix is capable of tackling include 1, 5 and 7F, which are common in developing countries and are not currently addressed by existing vaccines.

In other GlaxoSmithKline news within the last week, the firm announced the founding of a new company, in collaboration with Pfizer, which will work to develop and manufacture new HIV-related treatments.