Merck's Next-Gen Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Shows Efficacy In Pediatric Trials - Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK)

Merck & Co Inc's MRK investigational 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, V114, has met its primary immunogenicity and safety endpoints in two Phase 3 pediatric programs.
Full results from PNEU-DIRECTION and PNEU-PLAN will be presented at a future scientific congress.
In the PNEU-DIRECTION (V114-027) interchangeability study in healthy infants 42-90 days of age, immune responses in those who received a four-dose series of currently available 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), and those who received a mixed dose schedule of PCV13 followed by V114, were generally comparable.
In the PNEU-PLAN (V114-024) catch-up study, immune responses were generally comparable to PCV13 when V114 was used as a catch-up regimen in healthy children seven months to 17 years who were either pneumococcal vaccine-naïve or who previously received a partial or full regimen of pediatric PCV.
V114 showed immunogenicity against two additional serotypes, 22F and 33F, as well.
In each study, V114 was generally well-tolerated, with a safety profile comparable to PCV13.
V114 is Merck's investigational 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Phase 3 development.
Price Action: MRK shares are down 0.44% at $79.01 in the premarket session on the last check Thursday.