US FDA expert committee gives nod to the use of Pfizer’s Prevnar in adults

Pfizer Inc got a shot in the arm with an expert panel backing use of its blockbuster vaccine in adults to fight pneumonia, meningitis and other diseases caused by the pneumococcus bacteria.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted 14-1 on Wednesday on the safety of its Prevnar 13 vaccine for its effectiveness in adults aged 50 years or older.

The FDA which is due to rule on the matter in January is known to generally approve products that win support from its advisory panels.

The vaccine is being considered under its accelerated approval process, meaning that the medicine represented a need that had not been met.

The vaccine is said to be effective against 13 forms of the streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus bacterium.

Pneumonia induced by the pneumococcal organism is one of the biggest causes of death among older adults and its incidence begins to rise after age 50.