Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and
Canada, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
accepted for priority review a Biologics License Application (BLA)
for V114, Merck’s investigational 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine, for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in
adults 18 years of age and older. The FDA set a Prescription Drug
User Fee Act (PDUFA), or target action date, of July 18, 2021. The
European Medicines Agency is also reviewing an application for
licensure of V114 in adults.
“Invasive pneumococcal disease in adults is on the rise in many
countries, driven by highly-invasive serotypes including serotype
3, which is included in the currently licensed pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine, as well as serotypes not included, such as
serotypes 22F and 33F,” said Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president
and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer,
Merck Research Laboratories. “Building on our nearly 40 years of
experience with PNEUMOVAX® 23, Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent, we
have developed V114 as another potentially important option to help
protect more adults from invasive pneumococcal disease, especially
those who are at increased risk. We look forward to working with
the FDA during the review of this application.”
The BLA and priority review designation are supported by results
from Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical studies in a variety of adult
populations, including healthy adults and those at increased risk,
such as adults with chronic medical conditions, adults with HIV,
and those 65 years of age and older. Additional studies in the BLA
support the potential use of V114 in various real-world clinical
settings, including in co-administration with the quadrivalent
influenza vaccine and as part of a sequential administration with
PNEUMOVAX 23, and demonstrate equivalent performance among
consecutive lots of V114. The FDA grants priority review to
medicines and vaccines that, if approved, would provide a
significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the
treatment or prevention of a serious condition.
About V114
V114 is Merck’s investigational 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine candidate for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal
disease in adults. V114 consists of pneumococcal polysaccharides
from 15 serotypes conjugated to a CRM197 carrier protein and
includes serotypes 22F and 33F, which are commonly associated with
invasive pneumococcal disease in older adults worldwide and are not
contained in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine currently licensed
for use in adults. Merck is also developing V114 for use in
children. An overview of the late-stage development program for
V114 is available here.
V114 previously received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from
the FDA for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in
pediatric patients 6 weeks to 18 years of age and adults 18 years
of age and older.
Indication for PNEUMOVAX 23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine
Polyvalent)
PNEUMOVAX 23 is a vaccine indicated for active immunization for
the prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by the 23 serotypes
contained in the vaccine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 8, 9N, 9V, 10A,
11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 17F, 18C, 19F, 19A, 20, 22F, 23F and 33F).
PNEUMOVAX 23 is approved for use in persons 50 years of age or
older and persons aged ≥2 years who are at increased risk for
pneumococcal disease.
PNEUMOVAX 23 will not prevent disease caused by capsular types
of pneumococcus other than those contained in the vaccine.
Select Safety Information for PNEUMOVAX 23
Do not administer PNEUMOVAX 23 to individuals with a history of
a hypersensitivity reaction to any component of the vaccine.
Defer vaccination with PNEUMOVAX 23 in persons with moderate or
severe acute illness.
Use caution and appropriate care in administering PNEUMOVAX 23
to individuals with severely compromised cardiovascular and/or
pulmonary function in whom a systemic reaction would pose a
significant risk.
Available human data from clinical trials of PNEUMOVAX 23 in
pregnancy have not established the presence or absence of a
vaccine-associated risk.
Since elderly individuals may not tolerate medical interventions
as well as younger individuals, a higher frequency and/or a greater
severity of reactions in some older individuals cannot be ruled
out.
Persons who are immunocompromised, including persons receiving
immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished immune response to
PNEUMOVAX 23.
PNEUMOVAX 23 may not be effective in preventing pneumococcal
meningitis in patients who have chronic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
leakage resulting from congenital lesions, skull fractures or
neurosurgical procedures.
The most common adverse reactions, reported in >10% of
subjects vaccinated with PNEUMOVAX 23 for the first time in a
clinical trial, were: injection-site pain/soreness/tenderness,
injection-site swelling/induration, headache, injection-site
erythema, asthenia and fatigue, and myalgia.
For subjects aged 65 years or older in a clinical study,
systemic adverse reactions which were determined by the
investigator to be vaccine-related were higher following
revaccination than following initial vaccination.
Vaccination with PNEUMOVAX 23 may not offer 100% protection from
pneumococcal infection.
Merck’s Commitment to Infectious Diseases
For more than 100 years, Merck has contributed to the discovery
and development of novel medicines and vaccines to combat
infectious diseases. In addition to a combined portfolio of
vaccines and antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal medicines,
Merck has multiple programs that span discovery through late-stage
development. To learn more about Merck’s infectious diseases
pipeline, visit www.merck.com.
About Merck
For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the
United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing
forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most
challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve
lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population
health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching
policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be
at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that
threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases
such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire
to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in
the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect
with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J.,
USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are
based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s
management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties.
There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that
the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or
that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying
assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize,
actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general
industry conditions and competition; general economic factors,
including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations;
the impact of the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease
(COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and
health care legislation in the United States and internationally;
global trends toward health care cost containment; technological
advances, new products and patents attained by competitors;
challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining
regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict
future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays;
financial instability of international economies and sovereign
risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and
other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to
litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory
actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause
results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2019
Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s
Internet site (www.sec.gov).
Please see Prescribing Information for PNEUMOVAX 23 at
http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/p/pneumovax_23/pneumovax_pi.pdf
and Patient Information for PNEUMOVAX 23 at
http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/p/pneumovax_23/pneumovax_ppi.pdf.
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