DRUG APPROVALS BY DR ANTHONY MELVIN CRASTO
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FEB22,2013
French drug major Sanofi’s vaccines subsidiary Sanofi Pasteur has received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending market approval for Sanofi Pasteur’s 6-in-1 pediatric vaccine Hexyon/Hexacima (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB vaccine).
Hexyon/Hexacima is the only fully liquid, ready-to-use, 6-in-1 vaccine to protect infants against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and invasive infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b.
The new vaccine will be commercialized under the brand name Hexyon in Western European countries by Sanofi Pasteur MSD, the joint venture between US pharma giant Merck & Co and Sanofi Pasteur, and under the brand name Hexacima in Eastern European countries by Sanofi Pasteur.
“Availability of Hexyon/Hexacima ready-to-use, 6-in-1 pediatric vaccine will raise the standard of care of vaccination for millions of children. It reduces the number of vaccination visits for infants and it is more convenient for parents to complete the recommended vaccination schedule and thus better protect their children against six major childhood diseases,” said Olivier Charmeil, president and chief executive of Sanofi Pasteur, adding: “Upon licensure, we intend to introduce Hexyon/Hexacima vaccine in countries that are looking for improved and effective solutions for public immunization programs.”
Key benefits of Hexyon/Hexacima vaccine
According to Sanofi, the key benefits of Hexyon/Hexacima include the following:
• Hexyon/Hexacima is a fully liquid, ready-to-use vaccine; no reconstitution is needed prior to administration, which improves convenience for health care professionals. It is available in vial and pre-filled syringe presentations;
• by combining six vaccines into one, the vaccine reduces the number of injections, which improves comfort and vaccination compliance for infants, and
• the use of acP (acellular pertussis) antigens and IPV (inactivated poliovirus vaccine) improves safety and reduces reactogenicity as compared to wcP (whole cell pertussis)-containing vaccines and OPV (oral polio vaccine).
Assuming licensure, Hexyon/Hexacima would be indicated for primary and booster vaccination of infants from six weeks of age in accordance with official recommendations. The CHMP positive opinion is supported by results of multi-center clinical studies involving around 5,000 infants. Phase III clinical studies comparing Hexyon/Hexacima to licensed combination vaccines demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and induces a robust immune response against all six targeted diseases.
New Drug Approvals 
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