India to immunise five million using Pfizer pneumococcal disease vaccine

An Indian immunisation programme will make use of Pfizer’s 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV 13) to treat around 5.15 million, or 20%, of the country’s at-risk infants in an attempt to neutralise the effects of one of India’s biggest killers of younger children.

Pneumococcal disease is known as one of the leading causes of death among children under five globally, with the ailment claiming the lives of 105,000 Indian children in 2010 alone.

Pfizer’s PCV 13 is one of the most commonly-used treatments for the disease, having previously been utilised in over 100 immunisation programmes across the world. The vaccine provides greater serotype coverage than competitors, covering strains 3, 6A and 19A. It will be provided in a multi-dose vial format through UNICEF.  

"The Government of India has made reaching every child with vaccines as a key priority. With the introduction of PCV 13, we will able to help protect India's birth cohort of 26 million children from the leading cause of child deaths in the country," explained S. Sridhar, Country Manager at Pfizer India. "Pfizer remains committed to supporting the Government and its partners in expanding the introduction of PCV 13 in the country such that every child in India gets access to protection from pneumococcal diseases."

Matt Fellows