11.14.23 – Pfizer’s 12+ yrs Covid Vaccine Now Available at Lowest National Price for Access Vaccines Members in “Never Frozen” Glass Prefilled Syringes
The FDA issued an update to the dosage and administration section of the COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) USPI to include COMIRNATY Single Dose Glass Prefilled Syringes. In addition to the previously included plastic prefilled syringe and Single Dose Vial presentations for individual 12 years of age and older, the USPI now includes (NDC 0069-2377-10, carton of 10 single dose prefilled syringes; NDC 0069-2377-01, single dose prefilled syringe). The glass prefilled syringes have never been frozen and will be available mid-November through wholesalers.
These glass prefilled syringes were developed to be stored in a refrigerator and are “NEVER FROZEN”, have never been frozen, and must be stored at 2°C to 8°C (35°F to 46°F) until the expiration date printed on the carton and syringe labels. DO NOT FREEZE.
- Product expiration is 6 months from when it was manufactured.
- The expiration of the product will be on the box and customers will use this date versus the need to relabel with prior product
- DO NOT FREEZE will be listed on the carton and highlighted in Pink
10.24.23 – US FDA Gave Thumbs-up to Penbraya, Pfizer’s Pentavalent Vaccine Reducing Shot Count to Protect Against Meningococcal Disease
Defending against the most common serogroups behind meningococcal disease. The shot is approved for adolescents and adults between the ages of 10 and 25. Penbraya mixes components from two of the company’s other meningococcal vaccines – Trumenba and Nimenrix – which together tackle serogroups A, B, C, W and Y. These serogroups account for nearly all invasive meningococcal disease. Prior to Pfizer’s Penbraya approval, protection from all five groups required four injections from two separate vaccines.
10.19.23 – CDC Recommends Pfizer or Sanofi RSV Vaccine to Provide Protection Against Infant RSV
ACIP and CDC recommended RSVpreF vaccine using seasonal administration (i.e., during September through end of January in most of the continental United States) for pregnant persons as a one-time dose at 32–36 weeks’ gestation for prevention of RSV-associated LRTI in infants aged <6 months. Either maternal RSVpreF vaccination during pregnancy or nirsevimab administration to the infant is recommended to prevent RSV-associated LRTI among infants, but both are not needed for most infants. All infants should be protected against RSV-associated LRTI through use of one of these products.
10.12.23 – Pfizer’s RSV Vaccine Abrysvo Recommended by the American College of Obstetricians – Study Published
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends a single dose of Pfizer’s RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) for pregnant individuals between 32 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation, using seasonal administration, to prevent RSV lower respiratory tract infection in infants. For most of the United States, RSV season occurs from September through January. As such, similar to seasonal influenza vaccination, RSV vaccination is recommended for pregnant individuals during the months of September through January. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend a single dose of maternal RSV vaccination for pregnant people at 32 through 36 weeks of gestation.
10.4.23 – Novavax 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Now Authorized and Recommended for Use in US
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it authorized an updated version of Novavax’s (NVAX.O) COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in individuals aged 12 years and older. “ACIP’s recommendation last month, which was then approved by the CDC director, was inclusive of all FDA-licensed or authorized updated COVID-19 vaccines including those expected to be licensed or authorized in the coming months,” the spokesperson added. Novavax, whose protein-based shot uses a technology employed for decades to combat diseases, missed out on the pandemic vaccine windfall enjoyed by mRNA rivals due to manufacturing issues that delayed filing for approval when COVID was raging.
9.22.23 – Pfizer Broadens Portfolio of Respiratory Vaccines Recommended by CDC Advisory Committee with ABRYSVO for RSV
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) shared today it has broadened its portfolio of respiratory vaccines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) following a favorable vote for ABRYSVO™ [Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine], the company’s bivalent RSV prefusion F (RSVpreF) vaccine, as a maternal immunization. This is the first-ever fall in which eligible individuals can receive Pfizer vaccines to help protect against RSV, COVID-19, and pneumococcal pneumonia.
- ABRYSVO recommended by CDC Advisory Committee for pregnant persons 32 through 36 weeks gestation to help protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from birth through first six months of life
- RSV maternal immunization recommendation adds to Pfizer’s respiratory vaccines offerings already available to help protect against RSV in older adults, COVID-19, and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults
9.12.23 – Pfizer, Moderna score FDA nods for next round of seasonal COVID-19 vaccines
Out with the old and in with the new: Monday, the US FDA approved retooled mRNA shots against COVID-19 from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna simultaneously bidding adieu to the companies’ bivalent shots in the US. The FDA has approved Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s separate vaccine formulations that are more closely targeted to current variants of the disease, the agency said in a release. The vaccines have been updated to include a monovalent component aimed at omicron variant XBB.15, according to the companies and the FDA. Meanwhile, Novavax’s revised shot is still pending regulatory approval.
8.31.23 – GSK’s RSV Arexvy: RSV Vaccines Remains Effective Against Distinct Viral Variants
GSK’s Arexvy vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — the first to be approved for older adults — can remain effective against a range of variants and produces strong antibody responses against distinct viral strains, according to a new study. The study results, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, indicate that the vaccine could offer enduring protection against both contemporary RSV and future variants, especially when combined with vaccine adjuvants.
8.28.23 – US CDC Advisory Committee unanimously recommends routine use of Beyfortus (nirsevimab) to protect infants against RSV
CDC is recommending a new immunization starting this fall to help protect all infants under 8 months and some older babies at increased risk of severe illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Today, CDC director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, adopted the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for the use of nirsevimab, trade name BeyfortusTM, a long-acting monoclonal antibody product, which has been shown to reduce the risk of both hospitalizations and healthcare visits for RSV in infants by about 80 percent.
8.22.23 – FDA Approves Pfizer’s Abrysvo for Pregnancy to Protect Babies
Already with an approval in hand for older adults, Pfizer’s Abrysvo has become the first vaccine for pregnant women to protect their newborns against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The FDA has signed off on Abrysvo for women who have been pregnant for 32-36 weeks. The shot affords protection to babies for the first six months of their lives.
8.1.23 – Quest Launches Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease
Advances in drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease have opened doors for diagnostics, and Quest is the latest to walk through. The clinical testing giants has put forward a blood test designed to help gauge a person’s level of beta amyloid – one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative condition – and it’s now making it available directly to consumers.
6.25.23 – FDA Advisory Committee Recommends a Monovalent COVID booster
FDA Advisory committee, which decided unanimously that COVID vaccines this fall should not provide coverage against the original, wild-type coronavirus and that protection is only needed against an XBB strain. The advisory committee recommendation is consistent with a directive last month from the World Health Organization, which has recommended that the new COVID-19 boosters target XBB subvariants.
6.15.23 – FDA Advisory Committee unanimously recommends Nirsevimab as first immunization against RSV for all infants
About RSV: RSV is a very contagious virus that can lead to serious respiratory illness for infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RSV symptoms can include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, decrease in appetite, and wheezing.1 Two out of three infants are infected with RSV during their first year of life and almost all infants are infected by their second birthday.1,2 In the U.S., RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants under 12 months, averaging 16 times higher than the annual rate for influenza.3,4 Approximately 75% of infants hospitalized for RSV are born healthy and at term with no underlying conditions.5 Each year in the U.S., there are an estimated 590,000 RSV disease cases in infants under one requiring medical care, including physician office, urgent care, emergency room visits and hospitalizations.6
5.19.23 – U.S. FDA Approves Prevnar 20, Pfizer’s 20 Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine For Infants And Children
Pfizer Inc. announced on April 27th that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved PREVNAR 20®(20-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by the 20 Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal) serotypes contained in the vaccine in infants and children six weeks through 17 years of age, and for the prevention of otitis media in infants six weeks through five years of age caused by the original seven serotypes contained in PREVNAR®.
“Today’s FDA approval of our vaccine, PREVNAR 20, now offers parents the ability to help protect their children against 20 pneumococcal serotypes in circulation, which represent the majority of pneumococcal disease in U.S. infants and children,”1,2 said Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer. “This important PREVNAR 20 approval builds on more than 20 years of real-world impact with PREVNAR and PREVNAR 13, safety data, and effectiveness; highlighting Pfizer’s leadership in developing groundbreaking pneumococcal conjugate vaccines to help protect infants and their families from life threatening infections. We are grateful to the families and clinical investigators who participated in this research and our colleagues who have worked tirelessly to develop this breakthrough vaccine.”