10th Oct 2022 08:55
(Alliance News) - GSK PLC on Monday said Boostrix has been approved by the US Food & Drug Administration for immunisation during the third trimester of pregnancy to help prevent pertussis in infants less than two months of age.
The Brentford, London-based biopharma firm explained that pertussis is better known as whopping cough. Since 2010, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention have reported 15,000 to 48,000 pertussis cases among people of all ages in the US each year.
Infants are at high risk of complications because their immune systems are still developing, GSK added.
According to the CDC, the vaccination given during pregnancy provides the "best" protection to infants against whooping cough.
"Vaccination passes protective antibodies to babies before birth to protect them in their first months of life," it explained.
Boostrix is currently approved in over 80 countries worldwide, including the US, most European Union countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for immunisation against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
GSK President of Vaccines & Global Health Roger Connor said: "We're immensely proud to have the first-ever Tdap vaccine approved by the FDA specifically for use during pregnancy. We believe this approval may help protect more infants from the potentially life-threatening implications of whooping cough."
Shares in GSK were down 0.7% to 1,333.80 pence each in London early Monday.
By Sophie Rose; [email protected]
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