New vaccine against acute middle ear infections

1 February 2008

A new vaccine, SynflorixTM, designed to protect children against invasive pneumococcal diseases such as meningitis and invasive pneumonia and bacterial respiratory infections, such as acute middle ear infections (otitis media) has been accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

Otitis media is the most common reason for children under three years of age to visit a doctor, and the most common reason that they are prescribed antibiotics.

The vaccine, developed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, has been designed with an active carrier protein to induce protection against the two leading causes of acute bacterial otitis media: non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Each one accounts for up to 40% of otitis media cases in children but at the moment NTHi is not vaccine preventable.

The vaccine has also been designed to give broader protection against severe pneumococcal disease for children under the age of five than is currently available

Deafness Research UK's Chief Executive, Vivienne Michael, said "Review of this new vaccine is welcome particularly as bacterial respiratory diseases are commonly treated with antibiotics and there is some evidence that antibiotic resistance is increasing making treatment more difficult."