Novartis receives EU approval for Menveo
First quadrivalent conjugate vaccine in the EU to help prevent meningococcal disease
The European Commission has granted Novartis a Marketing Authorization in all 27 European member states for Menveo, the first conjugate vaccine commercially available in Europe that helps protect against four major groups of meningococcal disease. The vaccines has been approved for use in adolescents (over 11 years) and adults, but Novartis intends to submit additional data to the European Medicines Agency to support the use of Menveo in other age groups.
‘Marketing approval for Menveo for people ages 11 and older is the culmination of 10 years of dedicated effort by Novartis Vaccines to provide a vaccine that can help protect against meningococcal disease,’ said Andrin Oswald, Division Head of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics.
Menveo was developed using conjugate technology, which was pioneered by Novartis Vaccines in the development of its meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine, Menjugate. A conjugate vaccine is developed by attaching a polysaccharide antigen to a carrier protein to enhance the body's immune response to the vaccine.
Menveo has been administered to more than 18,500 people and is currently in multiple Phase III clinical studies in infants and toddlers worldwide. The US FDA recently approved Menveo for use in 11-55 year olds.