FDA approves Pfizer's new megablockbuster vax

The FDA has approved Pfizer's childhood vaccine Prevnar-13, which significantly expands the protection provided by Prevnar 7, a global blockbuster with $3 billion in annual sales. Analysts have pegged likely sales of Prevnar 13 at about $5 billion in 2014.

Pfizer expects the vaccine, which has already been approved in 32 countries, will emerge as its number two earner after Lipitor. And its interest in gaining a bigger share of the vaccine market was a key reason behind its $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth.

In an interview with the New York Times, Pfizer vaccine chief Dr. Emilio Emini said that an approval for adult use would open up the market to "hundreds of millions of additional patients who could benefit" from it. 

- here's the article in the New York Times

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