French pharmaceutical company Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) has announced that its tetravalent influenza virus split vaccine, VaxigripTetra, has been granted market approval by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China. This approval extends the vaccine’s usage to include individuals aged three years and above, building on the earlier approval for children aged 6 to 35 months in February this year. Consequently, the vaccine now covers all individuals aged six months and above.
VaxigripTetra: A Comprehensive Flu Protection
VaxigripTetra is a comprehensive four-strain influenza vaccine that includes two A strains (A/H1N1 and A/H3N2) and two B strains (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata). Despite vaccination being the most effective method to prevent the flu, China’s overall flu vaccination rate remains relatively low at 2.46% during the 2021-2022 season, falling short of the WHO’s recommended target vaccination rate of 75%.
Phase III Clinical Study Results
A large sample Phase III clinical study conducted in China demonstrated that VaxigripTetra, when administered to the entire population aged six months and above, can achieve a serum protection rate of up to 98.7% against the four subtypes of influenza strains. This high protection rate significantly reduces the risk of influenza and related complications, thereby lessening the overall burden of the disease. Across all age groups, the vaccine has shown good tolerance and fewer contraindications.
Global Reach and Clinical Studies
VaxigripTetra has been launched in over 100 countries worldwide and has undergone up to 35 clinical studies on immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety. These studies further validate the vaccine’s performance and safety profile, reinforcing its position as a key tool in global health efforts to combat influenza.-Fineline Info & Tech
