Prevenar 13® Indication extended in Japan

Pfizer Japan Inc. announced today that Prevenar 13® (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine) has been granted approval in Japan for the prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by 13 S. pneumoniae serotypes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F) in adults 65 years of age and older. This expanded indication will make it possible for elderly people to be immunized with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for the first time in Japan.

Since November 2013, Prevenar 13® has been recommended for children 2 months through 6 years of age, under the pediatric national immunization program for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal diseases caused by vaccine-type S. pneumoniae.

Prevenar 13® consists of pneumococcal polysaccharides linked to a carrier protein. By activating cell-mediated immunity, this vaccine produces an effective immune response in infants whose immunization systems are immature and in elderly people whose immunization systems are declining, thereby establishing immunological memory that will play a crucial role when they have pneumococcal infections in the future.

Koichi Kanno, Vice President, Vaccines of Pfizer Japan Inc. said, “Given Japan’s rapidly increasing aging population, it is our social responsibility to help elderly people enjoy healthier lives. We believe that Prevenar 13 will play a vital role in protecting against S.pneumoniae, which is one of the leading causes of pneumonia and the third leading cause of mortality in Japanese seniors. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Heath, Labor and Welfare to ensure that Prevenar 13 can be quickly incorporated into the adult national immunization program in Japan for the prevention of pneumococcal diseases, which will begin on October 1, 2014.”