GlaxoSmithKline welcomes Synflorix announcement

GlaxoSmithKline has welcomed an announcement from the GAVI Alliance stating that its pneumococcal vaccine Synflorix will be used in Pakistan's national immunisation programme.

The medication is set to protect up to 4.8 million children from pneumococcal disease following the use of innovative financing method the Advance Market Commitment which intends to bring heavily-discounted vaccines to the world's poorest countries.

Pakistan has become the first nation in South Asia to receive pneumococcal vaccines in the Expanded Programme of immunisation, making the scheme the largest universal mass protection against the illness.

Previous research highlighted that some 27,000 children die from the condition – the leading cause of pneumonia – each year in Pakistan.

Commenting on the decision, Christophe Weber – president and general manager of GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines – said: "Through our research and our work to accelerate access to innovative vaccines, GlaxoSmithKline continues to play an important role in helping protect millions of children from infectious disease."