Merck's pneumococcal vaccine Capvaxive approved for marketing, poised to challenge Pfizer's Prevnar market position

Merck's subsidiary, Capvaxive, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is poised to challenge Pfizer's Prevnar market position. Capvaxive can prevent 80% of pneumococcal diseases, higher than Pfizer's Prevnar at 50%. The commercial prospects of Capvaxive depend on whether the CDC recommends the vaccine for adults over 50. Merck's vaccine business is strong, with the HPV vaccine Gardasil generating nearly $9 billion in revenue last year, and the pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Vaxneuvance expected to become a multi-billion dollar product. Merck is striving to increase new products, with Capvaxive complementing its vaccine business. Keytruda faces pricing pressure