And... Immaterial, But Rahway Did Get An FDA Green Light For Jab Competing With Pfizer -- Called Capvaxive Last Week

The vaccine, which will go head to head with Pfizer's older Prevnar-20, is to be called Capvaxive, and it specifically protects against 21 strains of bacteria, to prevent a severe form of pneumococcal disease. The claim is that it will outperform the older Pfizer 17- and 20-strain versions.

Here's that bit, from last Tuesday:

. . .The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Merck ’s new vaccine designed to protect adults from a bacteria known as pneumococcus that can cause serious illnesses and a lung infection called pneumonia, the drugmaker said.

Merck’s shot, called Capvaxive, specifically protects against 21 strains of that bacteria to prevent a severe form of pneumococcal disease that can spread to other parts of the body and lead to pneumonia. It’s the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine designed specifically for adults and aims to provide broader protection than the available shots on the market, according to the drugmaker. . . .

“If you have chronic lung disease, even asthma, you have a higher risk of getting sick with pneumococcal disease, and then being in the hospital, losing out on work,” Heather Platt, Merck’s product development team lead for the newly cleared vaccine, told CNBC in an interview. “Those are things that have a real impact on adults and children, their quality of life. . . .”

The FDA panel will meet on June 27, 2024 -- this Thursday, to decide how expansive Merck's label will be -- that is, which populations will be listed as suitable, on a risk/reward potential. Now you know, but with an entrenched competitor here, Merck will need a very open label set to make bigger inroads. Onward.

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