FDA gives GSK OK for Penmenvy meningococcal vaccination

GSK has received the Food and Drug Administration’s permission for Penmenvy (meningococcal groups A, B, C, W and Y vaccine) for use in individuals aged 10 through 25 years. The vaccine targets five major serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis (A, B, C, W and Y) which commonly cause invasive meningococcal disease.

The vaccine combines the antigenic components of GSK’s two well-established meningococcal vaccines, Bexsero (meningococcal group B vaccine) and Menveo (meningococcal [groups A, C, Y and W-135] oligosaccharide diphtheria CRM197 conjugate vaccine). 

Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK, said, “We are excited about the opportunities ahead to help improve meningococcal vaccination coverage in the United States, especially for IMD caused by serogroup B. Building on our global leadership in meningococcal vaccination and our longstanding commitment to address unmet need in disease prevention, we aim to help protect more teens and young adults at a life stage when they are at an increased risk.”

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Integrating GSK’s MenABCWY vaccine into healthcare provider practices could simplify meningococcal vaccination delivery and help protect more U.S. adolescents against these five common disease-causing serogroups—A, B, C, W and Y—for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued recommendations, GSK said.

GSK added, “Although MenB is the leading cause of IMD among this population, less than 13% receive the recommended two-dose vaccination series; around 32% receive at least one dose. Three of every four MenB doses currently administered in the U.S. are manufactured by GSK, positioning the company well to lead in the U.S. market as MenB-containing vaccinations must be completed with the same manufacturer’s MenB vaccine.”

Judy Klein, president and founder of Unity Consortium, a non-profit organization focused on adolescent health and immunization in the United States, said, “The consequences of IMD can be devastating for those who contract it, for their families and friends. We welcome new tools to help protect more adolescents from meningococcal disease. Pentavalent MenABCWY vaccines could help address the disease by providing protection against the five vaccine-preventable serogroups in one vaccine and making it easier for adolescents to get the coverage they need.”

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At its meeting on Feb. 26, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to vote on recommendations for the appropriate use of GSK’s MenABCWY vaccine in adolescents and young adults.