Patent to Pfizer could delay Indian vaccines for pneumonia

The vaccine, called PCV13 and marketed as Prevnar13, provides protection against 13 strains of streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria

With global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer getting a patent last month for its pneumonia vaccine, Indian companies' plans to introduce cheaper products could get delayed.

Pneumonia kills 200,000 children in India every year. The vaccine is available in the private market from two global pharma giants, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Pfizer's vaccine, called PCV13 and marketed as Prevnar13, provides protection against 13 strains of the streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. GSK's product can provide protection against 10 strains.

Four Indian companies - Serum Institute, Panacea Biotec, Biological E and Tergene Biotech - have pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) products in the pipeline, according to Sathguru Management Consultant,