The National Meningitis Association Applauds FDA Approval Of First Serogroup B Meningococcal Disease Vaccine

ATLANTA, Oct. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today the approval of Pfizer's Trumenba, the first vaccine in the United States to prevent serogroup B meningococcal disease in individuals ages 10 to 25.

Before today, vaccines licensed in the U.S. protected against four major strains of the disease: A, C, W and Y. They did not prevent serogroup B meningococcal disease, which accounts for one-third of U.S. cases.

The National Meningitis Association (NMA) is delighted by the news and is hopeful that policymakers will recommend vaccination routinely for all adolescents to help protect this high-risk group from infection. NMA also looks forward to licensure of Novartis' serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, currently in priority review with the FDA.

In September and October of 2014, two college students, one at Georgetown University and one at San Diego State University, died from serogroup B meningococcal disease. These deaths followed recent outbreaks of serogroup B disease at Princeton University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, which prompted a collaborative public health effort to help protect students on these campuses with the use of the Novartis vaccine that is approved for use in other countries, but not yet licensed in the U.S.

Meningococcal disease affects persons of all ages in the U.S., though adolescents and young adults are at increased risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends routine vaccination of kids at age 11-12 and again at 16 with the approved vaccines that prevent serogroups A, C, W and Y.

Although it is rare, meningococcal disease can come on quickly and can lead to death or disability within hours. While vaccines offer the best chance of protection against the infection, knowledge of the symptoms of meningococcal disease can help ensure prompt medical treatment is sought if needed.

About NMA
NMA works to protect families from the potentially devastating effects of meningococcal disease by educating the public, medical professionals and others about the disease and its prevention. The NMA network also provides critical emotional support for families who have been affected by meningococcal disease.

Visit NMA at www.nmaus.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

SOURCE National Meningitis Association