Novartis MenB vaccine approved in Australia

Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) revealed this morning (August 15) that the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has added Bexsero, a multi-component meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine (recombinant, adsorbed) suspension for injection 0.5ml pre-filled syringe, to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for use in individuals from two months of age and older.

Bexsero is the first and only broad coverage vaccine to help protect all age groups against MenB disease, including infants who are at the greatest risk of infection, said Novartis. Andrew Weiss, an analyst at Vontoble, has previously said the vaccine could achieve peak sales of $2 billion.

Across Australia, around 85% of all meningococcal disease and sepsis cases have been caused by MenB, a percentage that has risen in recent years as the number of cases in other serogroups has fallen. The introduction of vaccines for other strains of bacterial meningitis has been successful in reducing the disease burden in Australia; specifically, following the rollout of a national meningococcal serogroup C vaccination program in Australia, cases decreased from 162 in 2002 to nine by 2011.