|
 Demand for Merck's Pneumovax 23, which is used to prevent
pneumococcal lung infections, has hit record highs across the world,
the company said.
More than 40 companies and researchers are testing vaccines against
the novel coronavirus, but none have been approved in the West.
In the meantime, doctors are giving the pneumonia shot to more
people than ever as a preventative measure.
Pneumococcal prevention, the largest segment of the vaccine market
by value, rang up about $7 billion in sales in 2019, contested by
Pfizer <PFE.N>, Merck and GlaxoSmithKline <GSK.L>.
Pfizer's Prevenar 13, known as Prevnar 13 in North America, is the
global market leader, and brought in about $5.8 billion in sales in
2019. It works for both infants and the elderly but it covers fewer
bacterial strands than the Merck product.
GSK's Synflorix is designed for children.
Usage differs by country, but Pneumovax 23, which lasts about five
years, is primarily given to the elderly.
"During the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, there has been
increased emphasis on adult vaccination, and we have seen an
unprecedented surge in demand for Pneumovax 23 around the world," a
Merck spokesman told Reuters in an email.
Pneumovax 23's international sales more than doubled to $96 million
in the second quarter, though U.S. sales fell substantially,
according to the quarterly report.
The U.S. drugmaker is working to make as much as possible, but
demand is outpacing supplies in some markets, the spokesman added.
And supplies in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Ireland and Austria are
running low, according to drug agencies monitoring supplies for
those countries.
The news is likely to stoke worries about the availability of
medicines as people seek ways to boost their immunity during the
cold winter months.
Stocks of seasonal flu vaccine are also low in some European cities
amid worries about the risk of a potentially lethal "twindemic".
Delfino Legnani, professor at Milan University, said he has been
recommending the Pneumovax 23 shot to his older patients for years,
but some have only been willing to get it for the first time this
winter.
"It is practically impossible to find. Now everyone wants it, so
there aren't enough doses," he said.
[to top of second column] |
Italy's drug agency listed the drug as being in short supply and has authorised
pharmacies to buy supplies from abroad approved under a special marketing
authorisation scheme.
There are no signs of supply issues in the United States.
RATIONING
Other countries are feeling the pinch too.
Ireland's Health Products Regulatory Authority said on its website an unexpected
increase in demand had caused a shortage since March and that multiple countries
were affected.
Its Belgian equivalent also said that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global
increase in demand for Pneumovax 23.
"Stocks of this vaccine are currently very limited in Belgium," it said. There
were some emergency supplies left, it added, but those should be set aside for
infants and elderly people with an impaired immune system or at particular risk
of lung disease.
Different countries have chosen to ration the vaccine in different ways,
depending on their priorities.
Germany's expert panel on vaccine use, known as STIKO, lifted the minimum age
for use among the elderly to 70 from 60, among other more stringent
recommendations.
It warned that Pneumovax 23, with its wider coverage of bacteria types, should
not be replaced with vaccines with a narrower potency.
Germany, which in April temporarily imported batches of Pneumovax 23 originally
made for Japan, said single prefilled syringes may be fully available again in
January but provided no estimate for when the 10-syringes pack would be fully
stocked again.
GlaxoSmithKline said it was seeing no supply constraints of Synflorix supply in
Europe.
Pfizer said demand for pneumococcal vaccines has increased in some markets due
to COVID-19 and heightened awareness about adult vaccination but it was ramping
up production and had "a healthy supply".
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt, Emilion Parodi in Milan, Mike Erman in
New York, John Miller in Zurich, Francesco Gauresco in Brussels; Editing by
Josephine Mason and Andrew Heavens in London)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
