GSK meningococcal vaccine receives EMA recommendation

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK said on Tuesday that the European Medicine Agency has recommended meningococcal vaccine for use against certain bacteria groups.

GSK said the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended a single-vial, fully liquid presentation of Menveo to help protect against invasive meningococcal disease caused by bacteria groups A. C. W and Y.

If approved, GSK's single-vial presentation will be licenced for active immunisation of children from two years of age, adolescents and adults, offering healthcare providers an option that does not require reconstitution before its use.

Philip Dormitzer, GSK's head of global vaccines research and development, said: "As a global leader in meningococcal vaccines, we are committed to finding innovative solutions that simplify immunisation against bacterial meningitis, support vaccine uptake and help protect as many people as possible from this devastating disease. We will continue our efforts to help prevent this disease in at-risk populations in the European Union."

As of 0945 BST, GSK shares were down 0.36% at 1,522.0p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com