Pfizer pneumonia vaccine given extended approval in EU

Pfizer has received wider approval for its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevenar 13 in the European Union (EU).

The pharmaceutical firm said the drug is now authorised for use in adults aged 50 and older, after the European Commission conducted a review of clinical immunogenicity and safety data involving more than 6,000 adult patients.

Emilio Emini, chief scientific officer of vaccine research at Pfizer, said Prevenar 13 "has the potential to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease in adults aged 50 and older – a time of life when the risk for contracting the disease begins to increase".

He advised adults to speak to their healthcare providers about pneumococcal disease and Prevenar 13 as part of a "plan for healthy ageing".

The vaccine, which protects against 13 strains of pneumococcal disease, was first introduced for use in infants and young children in Europe in December 2009.

There are more than 90 strains of pneumococcus, which enters the body through the nose and throat. It can cause invasive pneumococcal disease, which includes pneumonia and meningitis.