Another new vaccine approved that could help defeat MenB

Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) welcomes the news that a new meningitis vaccine - Trumenba® - has been licenced by the European Medicines Agency to prevent meningococcal B meningitis and septicaemia (MenB).

Trumenba (manufactured by Pfizer) is only the second vaccine designed to provide broad protection against circulating MenB strains to be approved in Europe (following Bexsero® manufactured by GSK and licensed in 2013). Trumenba has been approved for use in individuals 10 years and older, while Bexsero can be administered from two months of age. The UK was the first country to introduce an immunisation programme using Bexsero and it is now routinely given to babies under the age of one.

Responding to the news, Vinny Smith, Chief Executive of MRF said, “We are delighted to see Trumenba licensed in Europe for individuals 10 years of age and older. Meningococcal B infection has for decades been the largest cause of life-threatening meningitis in the UK. Introducing the Bexsero vaccine for babies in 2015 was a major step forward. Having Trumenba licenced by the EMA is another positive step forward. It means that it will likely only be a matter of months before the vaccine can go on sale in Europe. It is important to have multiple tools at our disposal to combat this disease and time will tell how each vaccine can play its part in helping us to defeat MenB.”