3 January 2012 - US pharma major Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) said on Friday that its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevnar 13 (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]) had obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as a single dose for use in adults.

Prevnar 13 is indicated for adults 50 years of age and older for active immunisation for the prevention of pneumonia and invasive disease caused by the 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) serotypes contained in the vaccine.

In addition to the US, the company has obtained approval for use of Prevnar 13 for various indications in adults 50 years of age and older in the EU, Australia, Mexico and more than 10 other countries.

Prevnar 13 was first approved by the FDA in February 2010 for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in infants and young children from 6 weeks through 5 years of age.