The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on October 15 approved the meningococcal group B vaccine from the Philippines’ GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global biopharmaceutical company.
The vaccine is intended for the prevention of meningococcal disease caused by the Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B in persons aged two months or older.
Before this FDA approval, no vaccine was available for serogroup B.
Meningococcal disease is a ‘rare infection associated with high mortality rates, especially in some low-resource countries’. according to a November 2021 paper published in Microbiology Australia.
SErogroup B is predominant in the Philippines, causing 68% of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases in the country between 2017 and 2018, the paper said.
IMD can lead to meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can also lead to meningococcal sepsis, where the bacteria enter the bloodstream and spread the infection. Both conditions require urgent medical attention to prevent irreversible consequences such as permanent hearing loss, visual impairment and cognitive problems.
Babies and children are the most vulnerable to the disease.
“IMD can lead to serious illness, long-term complications or even death, often affecting patients in ways that can change their lives forever,” said Dr. Giovell P. Barangan, national medical director of GSK Philippines, in an October 15 press conference. statement.
“The availability of this vaccine in the Philippines represents an important step in protecting families and their loved ones from the life-threatening consequences of IMD,” he said.
GSK’s meningococcal group B vaccine has been approved in more than 40 countries, including European Union member states, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. – Patricia B. Mirasol