Key TakeawaysThe FDA and CDC approved a new pentavalent vaccine, called Penbraya, which combines the two meningococcal immunizations into one shot.Providers now have the option to offer the Pfizer vaccine when patients ages 10 to 25 years old are due for both the MenB and MenACWY vaccines in the same visit.Pfizer said Penbraya could streamline the vaccination process and increase the number of adolescents protected against the rare, but life-threatening disease.

Key Takeaways

The FDA and CDC approved a new pentavalent vaccine, called Penbraya, which combines the two meningococcal immunizations into one shot.Providers now have the option to offer the Pfizer vaccine when patients ages 10 to 25 years old are due for both the MenB and MenACWY vaccines in the same visit.Pfizer said Penbraya could streamline the vaccination process and increase the number of adolescents protected against the rare, but life-threatening disease.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pfizer’s new vaccine to protect against five groups of deadly bacteria that can causemeningitisand blood poisoning.

Meningococcal diseaseis a rare bacterial infection that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream. The disease can progress from mild, flu-like symptoms to death in a matter of hours. Survivors are often left with long-term disabilities.

While serious, meningococcal disease is rare. There were about 210 total cases of the disease reported in the United States in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The new shot, called Penbraya, is the first vaccine to protect against the five most common meningococcal bacteria groups in one dose: A, B, C, W, and Y.

There are two existing meningococcal vaccines: a MenACWY vaccine that protects against four kinds of bacteria and a monovalent vaccine that targets meningitis B.

A panel of CDC advisors on Wednesday voted 10 to four to recommend Penbraya to people between 10 and 23 years old.

Pfizer said the approval will allow providers to streamline the number of shots they give patients. According to the company, nearly nine out of 10 adolescents are not sufficiently protected against the types of bacteria that most commonly cause meningitis.

Who Can Get the New Meningococcal Vaccine?

The CDC currently recommends meningococcal vaccination for all preteens and teens.People between the ages of 11 and 12 should get a MenACWY vaccine, with a booster shot at 16.

Then, the preferred age for the MenB vaccine is between 16 and 18 years old. While any teen could choose to get the shot, their healthcare provider would determine if they should get it if they:

Now, Penbraya is an option for healthy individuals who are 16 to 25 years old, or for people ages 10 and above who are at high risk of meningococcal disease. When a teenager is due for their MenACWY booster shot and the first dose of MenB vaccine in the same visit, they can opt for a single Penbraya shot instead.

Clinicians may recommend two doses of Penbraya for some people who are at high risk for meningococcal disease. In those cases, the doses should be given at least six months apart. If they need to get the second shot sooner than that, the CDC panelists said they should instead take the separate quadrivalent and MenB vaccines in the same visit.

Vaccine Schedule Might Change

During Wednesday’s meeting, the CDC panelconsideredmany iterations of the meningococcal vaccine schedule, including giving healthy teens two doses of Penbraya, as Pfizer intended. Panelists weighed the cost-benefit of each approach, the data supporting each option, and whether they would simplify or complicate the lives of patients and providers.

“I realize how challenging this is going to be for our frontline clinicians, but I would frame it not as the recommendation, but rather that it’s a choice for people to make, and they could stick with the original schedule,”Katherine Poehling, MD, MPH,professor of pediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and chair of the ACIP meningococcal working group.

Drugmaker GSK, which already has a MenACWY vaccine and MenB vaccine on the market, is also creating its ownpentavalent vaccine.

The recommendations for vaccine timing may not be entirely set in stone. The CDC will consider changes to the adolescent vaccine schedule in the new year, and it’s possible that the meningococcal vaccine recommendations will change.

What This Means For YouThe vaccine schedule for meningococcal vaccines leaves some room for patients and providers to together decide which shots to get and when. If you are not yet vaccinated against meningococcal bacteria, talk with your provider about what may work best for you.

What This Means For You

The vaccine schedule for meningococcal vaccines leaves some room for patients and providers to together decide which shots to get and when. If you are not yet vaccinated against meningococcal bacteria, talk with your provider about what may work best for you.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: surveillance.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal vaccination: what everyone should know.

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: surveillance.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal vaccination: what everyone should know.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: surveillance.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal vaccination: what everyone should know.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal disease: surveillance.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meningococcal vaccination: what everyone should know.

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