Prevenar

A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine called Synflorix® is replacing Prevenar® at the scheduled visits of 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months and 15 months of age. Synflorix® covers the same seven pneumococcal types that Prevenar® does plus three more types.

From 1 July 2011 Prevenar 13® replaced Prevenar® for children with particular medical conditions eligible for the High Risk Pneumococcal Immunisation Programme. Prevenar 13® covers the same seven pneumococcal types that Prevenar® does plus six more types. Prevenar 13® is to be used in these children instead of Synflorix®. The safety profile for all three vaccines is similar.

The body’s immune responses to both Synflorix® and Prevenar 13® are comparable to the responses to Prevenar® for the pneumococcal bacteria types they have in common. Therefore, both Synflorix® and Prevenar 13® are expected to be as least as effective as Prevenar® in preventing serious infections. However, until Synflorix® and Prevenar 13® have been used for many years, like Prevenar® has, there will be no data to show how much more effective they may be. The new vaccines also generate a protective response against additional pneumococcal types not covered by Prevenar®.

A child who has started their course of pneumococcal protection with Prevenar® can complete their course with Synflorix®. When this occurs the child is expected to develop full protection for the seven types of pneumococcal bacteria in both vaccines. They may also develop partial protection for the extra three types in Synflorix®.

Prevenar®, Prevenar 13®, Synflorix® and Pneumovax® 23 are all vaccines against pneumococcal disease, a leading cause of serious illness in children and some adults, but there are differences in the way they are made.

Prevenar®, Prevenar 13® and Synflorix® are conjugate vaccines. The sugar molecules from the outside of the bacteria have been attached to a special protein to make them better at stimulating the immune system. Young infants respond well to this type of vaccine. Prevenar® offers protection against seven common types of pneumococcal bacteria, Prevenar 13® against 13 types and Synflorix® offers protection against 10 common strains of pneumococcal types.

Pneumovax® 23 is a polysaccharide vaccine. It is made using the sugar molecules from the outside of the bacteria. It is not very effective in infants under two years of age as their immune systems are too immature to generate a strong, protective response to this kind of vaccine. Older children and adults do respond to Pneumovax® 23 but not as well as they do to the conjugate vaccines. The advantage of Pneumovax® 23 is that it protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria.