Multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adults, highly effective in preventing pneumococcal disease

Pneumococcal disease is estimated to cause approximately 14.5 million cases of severe illness and 826,000 deaths globally each year. The disease not only affects individual health but also imposes a treatment burden on patients, their families and the health system.

On June 3 and 5, Pfizer Vietnam coordinated with the Vietnam Preventive Medicine Association to organize a series of scientific conferences with the theme "The role of multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adults - Legacy and Journey", respectively in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

The conference gathered more than 1,000 medical experts in the fields of respiratory medicine, preventive medicine and epidemiology in Vietnam and internationally. The event is a professional forum to update on the burden of pneumococcal disease in people over 50 years old and adults with underlying diseases, while sharing international experiences and introducing a new pneumococcal vaccine prevention tool, developed based on conjugate vaccine technology.

Mr. Darrell Oh, General Director of Pfizer Vietnam delivered the opening speech at the conference series.

Associate Professor, Dr. Cao Huu Nghia warned that the burden of disease caused by pneumococcus is increasing, especially in the elderly.

Dangers from pneumococcus if not controlled

According to experts, in Vietnam, Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the main causes of community-acquired pneumonia - a common and leading cause of death in our country. In addition, Streptococcus pneumoniae is also the cause of dangerous invasive infections such as meningitis and sepsis, with a mortality rate of up to 40%; and common diseases in Vietnamese people such as otitis media.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), advanced age is a major risk factor for pneumococcal disease. People 50 years of age and older are six times more likely to be hospitalized for pneumococcal pneumonia than healthy young adults. Additionally, adults of all ages with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease are 3–8 times more likely to develop mild to severe complications from pneumococcal infection than healthy people of the same age.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Khac Bao emphasized the importance of improving prevention capacity against pneumococcus.

Clarifying the potential dangers of pneumococcus, Associate Professor, Dr. Cao Huu Nghia - Head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized: “Pneumococcus is an unpredictable danger because there are over 100 different serotypes and from 5 to 90% of healthy people carry this bacteria in their throats. When the immune system begins to weaken due to natural factors such as old age or chronic diseases of the kidneys, cardiovascular system, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ..., the body is more vulnerable to pneumococcus. When infected, pneumococcal diseases often progress rapidly, endangering life and creating a significant burden in terms of costs, not only for patients but also for the entire health system”.

Pneumococcal disease is estimated to cause approximately 14.5 million cases of severe illness and 826,000 deaths globally each year. The disease not only affects individual health but also imposes a burden on patients, their families and the health care system.

In Vietnam, the population is aging rapidly and chronic diseases tend to appear at younger ages, putting an increasing number of people at high risk of pneumococcal infection. Notably, pneumococcal serotypes that cause invasive and fatal infections are still circulating in the community. At the same time, antibiotic resistance of pneumococci is increasingly common, making treatment less effective, prolonging recovery time and increasing the cost of care. In this context, experts warn that pneumococcal disease remains a major health challenge and emphasize the importance of broader prevention solutions.

Dr. Mark Fletcher, Pfizer's Director of Emerging Markets Medical Affairs, shared his experience at the workshop.

Sharing at the conference, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Khac Bao, Deputy Director of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized: “Pneumococcus is the main agent causing the burden of lower respiratory infections in adults. Although there are preventive solutions, the disease burden is still significant as the population at risk is increasing along with the increase of bacterial serotypes outside the current protection scope. Therefore, improving prevention capacity and updating protective measures - including vaccines that can prevent pathogenic types in current coverage as well as new types targeted by multivalent conjugate technology - become urgent requirements to protect public health, reduce the burden on the health system and improve the sustainable quality of life for the whole society.”

Pneumococcal prevention should be prioritized for high-risk groups.

Recently, pneumococcus was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a priority microbiological agent for prevention in high-risk groups, to protect global health and contribute to reducing the treatment burden on the health system.

“From experience in many countries around the world, prevention strategies for pneumococcal disease in adults typically include seroprevalence surveillance, increased public health awareness, control of underlying diseases and proactive prevention in high-risk groups, with vaccination providing both health and economic benefits,” said Dr. Mark Fletcher, Senior Medical Director, Vaccine Research and Development, Emerging Markets, Pfizer.

To date, the Ministry of Health has licensed 5 types of pneumococcal vaccines; each type has a different development method, number of serotypes covered, clinical research process and post-vaccination records. Of these, 4 types are vaccines using conjugate technology - a technology that can create immune memory and reduce the amount of pneumococcus residing in the throat, contributing to long-term protection and strengthening community immunity.

Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan shares about the effectiveness of broad-spectrum vaccines in preventing pneumococcal disease.

Sharing at the workshop, Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, Chairman of the Vietnam Preventive Medicine Association, said: “Vietnam is facing a rapid aging population, the elderly have multiple diseases, so preventing pneumococcal bacteria by vaccination to reduce the burden of community-acquired pneumonia, one of the leading causes of death due to infectious diseases, especially in people with underlying diseases, is extremely necessary. Preventive measures are also constantly updated, absorbing medical advances and disease control experiences of many countries around the world, especially the use of broad-spectrum vaccines with safety and effectiveness records, increasing vaccination coverage, playing an important role in preventing complications and deaths caused by pneumococcus, contributing to the care, protection and improvement of people's health”.

Experts at the conference also emphasized that in order to perfect the pneumococcal disease prevention strategy and reach more people, close cooperation between authorities, medical experts and pioneers in medical technology is very important.

Mr. Darrell Oh, General Director of Pfizer Vietnam, shared: “With extensive global experience in the field of respiratory disease prevention, we are committed to working closely with the Vietnamese healthcare sector in updating scientific advances, supporting professional training for healthcare workers and expanding access opportunities for the community. Consistent with our global mission of bringing life-changing medical breakthroughs, Pfizer is proud to contribute to improving the field of preventive medicine in Vietnam. This series of conferences is a testament to the close cooperation between professional agencies, experts and businesses, together building a sustainable, proactive and practical disease prevention strategy for the community.”

He also pledged that Pfizer is committed to setting the standard for quality, safety and value in the research, development and manufacture of healthcare products, including new and innovative medicines and vaccines.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/y-te/vaccine-phe-cau-cong-hop-da-gia-tren-nguoi-lon-hieu-qua-cao-phong-benh-phe-cau-khuan-i770768/