Pfizer: Our RSV vaccine for expectant mothers prevents severe infections in infants

Pfizer Inc said Tuesday that its pilot respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine has shown effectiveness in preventing severe infections in infants after a late-stage study administered it to pregnant women in the second half of pregnancy.

If approved, Pfizer's vaccine could become the world's first maternal vaccine designed to ease the course of disease in young children. After the initial successful results, the company suspended the trials and planned to apply for certification by the end of 2022, Reuters reported.

Kena Swanson, vice president of viral vaccines at Pfizer, said in an interview that by immunizing mothers, the ability to protect children from the very first day of life is provided and this is important because the most hospitalizations among these children because of the RSV are seen between one and two months of age..

Currently, various companies including Pfizer and GSK Plc are seeking to develop a vaccine against the RSV pathogen as the leading cause of pneumonia in infants and older adults. Sales could be in the billions of dollars if an effective vaccine is approved.

The vaccine developed by Pfizer reached one of two key study points, demonstrating 81.8% efficacy in preventing infants from developing severe lower respiratory tract disease during their first 90 days of life.

In October, Pfizer U.S. President Angela Lukin said during a conference call that if Pfizer's vaccine is approved for use on both pregnant women and adults, Pfizer will be the only company with all the necessary requirements to use the vaccine for both pregnant women and older adults.