Meningococcal group A, C, Y and W-135 conjugate vaccine

Lee H Harrison1, Nitin Mohan, Peter Kirkpatrick

  • 1Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15101, USA. lharriso@edc.pitt.edu

Insights

A new quadrivalent conjugate vaccine, Menveo, was FDA-approved in February 2010. It prevents invasive meningococcal disease in individuals aged 11-55 years.

Area of Science:

  • Vaccinology
  • Microbiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) poses a significant public health threat.
  • Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135 are major causative agents of IMD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the US FDA approval of a quadrivalent conjugate vaccine for IMD prevention.
  • To outline the target population and causative serogroups covered by the vaccine.

Main Methods:

  • Review of regulatory submission data for vaccine approval.
  • Identification of the vaccine's composition and target demographic.

Main Results:

  • The US FDA approved the quadrivalent conjugate vaccine, Menveo, in February 2010.
  • The vaccine targets invasive meningococcal disease caused by specific serogroups.

Conclusions:

  • Menveo provides a new option for preventing IMD in a defined age group.
  • The approval signifies advancements in conjugate vaccine technology for bacterial meningitis prevention.

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