Pfizer launches penumonia-prevention vaccine Prevanar-13

MUMBAI: Global pharma major, Pfizer, on Thursday launched a new variant of pneumonia-prevention vaccine, Prevanar-13, in the Indian market.

India records over 3.71-lakh infant deaths due to pneumonia every year and the vaccine has a very large opportunity as around 25-million births occur in the country every year, Pfizer's Managing Director, Kewal Handa, told.

Pfizer's recently-acquired subsidiary, Wyeth, will be handling the product in India. The company sells the new version of the Prevanar in 30 countries currently.

A single course costs over Rs 15,000 spread across four doses and the company is trying to get the product included in the national immunisation programme which will give a boost to sales, Handa said.

"The product covers over 70 per cent of the stains as compared to the earlier version's 48 per cent...we are currently looking to extend the Prevanar franchise to adults as people over 60-years also get affected by pneuomonia," Handa said.

Pfizer had launched the first version of Prevanar in 2006 for the Indian market, Handa said, without, however, disclosing details of its performance in the market.

"Awareness of the medical fraternity and market expansion are the key," he said, when asked about the revenue generation from the new line.