Wednesday, March 20, 2024

More Good News, Overnight, On Merck's Latest 21-Valent Pneumococcal Vaccine Candidate...


We last mentioned this in November of 2023. Now Rahway has some encouraging top line results to report on its 21-valent pneumococcal vaccine candidate. That is good news for all people with low immunity to such opportunistic viral loads.

The result ought to mean that Merck will be preferred over Pfizer's vaccine in this space, once approved -- as the Pfizer version covers fewer variants. But this is -- as I often say -- not yet material to massive Merck's fortunes. Certainly not until FDA green-lit. Here's the latest, though:

. . .Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria are considered a “major public health problem worldwide” by the World Health Organization.

There are more than 100 different types of pneumococcal bacteria, which can affect adults differently than children. Certain strains threaten to put more people at risk for invasive pneumococcal illnesses, with older adults among those most vulnerable to serious infection.

Merck’s candidate, V116, is specifically designed to address the strains responsible for the majority of adult pneumococcal disease, including eight unique strains that account for approximately 30% of adult disease. . . .


Now you know. And with Buffs in a play in tonight -- we will be watching. The Rams did very nicely last night against a depleted Virginia Cavaliers squad. Still, two days. . . until full "March Madness fever" sets in, with Marquette in action. [I am reliably informed that there is no vaccine for that particular strain.] Grin.

नमस्ते

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