Key Takeaways

On Friday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’sAdvisory Committee for Immunization Practices(ACIP) unanimously greenlit a new vaccine from Merck that protects against 21 strains ofStreptococcus pneumoniae(S. pneumoniae), bacteria that can cause invasive pneumococcal diseases and pneumococcalpneumonia. The move follows approval from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month.

The vaccine, called Capvaxive (PSV21), is now recommended for thefollowing groups:

The committee also recommended that individuals 65 and older who completed their vaccien series with both Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23 ask their providers if a dose of Capvaxive would be appropriate for them.

“We are very happy to have the formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which supports our indication for preventing invasive pneumococcal disease in adults,” Heather Platt, MD, Distinguished Scientist for Merck, told Verywell.

Here’s what you should know about the updated vaccine and whether it might be one to add to your immunization to-do list this year.

Pneumococcal Vaccine: What You Need to Know

Why Do We Need a New Vaccine Against Pneumococcal Disease?

Over 100 strains ofS. pneumoniaeare known to cause illnesses likeear infections,sinus infections, bacterial meningitis, and pneumonia. Pneumonia vaccines protect against the most common strains of pneumococcal bacteria that cause these illnesses.

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) occurs whenS. pneumoniaegrows in a normally sterile body site, such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid,pleural fluidsurrounding the lungs, and thefluid around the joints.

Pneumococcal infections can be serious and are responsible for over 150,000 hospitalizations for pneumonia and 2,000 cases of meningitis in the United States annually. Pneumonia is the most common type of pneumococcal infection.

What Is Pneumococcal Meningitis?

Merck’s first pneumonia vaccine, Pneumovax 23, received FDA approval in 1983, and it is still one of the most frequently administered pneumonia vaccines. Since then, other FDA-approved pneumonia vaccines developed include Vaxneuvance and Prevnar.

While Capvaxive is only recommended for people 19 and older, individuals 18 and younger can still get other pneumonia vaccines that are currently on the market.Aclinical trialwill begin soon to assess Capvaxive’s safety and efficacy in certain children ages 2 to 17.

How Are New Vaccines Tested for Safety?

New vaccines are being developed all the time, but it takes many safeguards to actually bring them to market.

Capvaxive was studied inmultiple phase 3 clinical trials, which consistently demonstrated a significant immune response when compared to several other pneumococcal vaccines that are currently available.

“The various trials involving Capvaxive demonstrated both efficacy in the vaccine’s protection and safety,” said Mazumder.

Public health advocates like Mazumder are optimistic that the vaccine will provide a more effective guard against pneumonia-causing bacteria and their complications once it reaches the public.

“Capvaxive will help prevent more pneumococcal infections, hospitalizations, and death due to invasive pneumococcal disease,” said Mazumder.

What This Means for YouYou may want to ask your provider about Capvaxive, a new vaccine against pneumococcal infections that has recently been approved for certain groups of people who may be at risk of serious illness.

What This Means for You

You may want to ask your provider about Capvaxive, a new vaccine against pneumococcal infections that has recently been approved for certain groups of people who may be at risk of serious illness.

What You Need to Know About Pneumonia

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.Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases: pneumococcal disease.Merck.U.S. FDA Approves CAPVAXIVE™ (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) for Prevention of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Adults.

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.Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases: pneumococcal disease.Merck.U.S. FDA Approves CAPVAXIVE™ (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) for Prevention of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Adults.

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.Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases: pneumococcal disease.Merck.U.S. FDA Approves CAPVAXIVE™ (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) for Prevention of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Adults.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases: pneumococcal disease.

Merck.U.S. FDA Approves CAPVAXIVE™ (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) for Prevention of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Adults.

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