Disappointment for Novartis over rejection of meningitis vaccine in the UK

The UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) will not recommend meningitis vaccine Bexsero (meningococcal group B vaccine [rDNA, component, adsorbed]) in a blow for Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX).

Early this year, the European Commission approved Bexsero for use in individuals from two months of age and older ( The Pharma Letter January 22). Following the decision, European Union member states started to evaluate Bexsero for potential inclusion into national immunization programs and, where relevant, reimbursement schemes and Novartis began working with governments to speed up the process.

But today the JCVI released an interim statement saying: “On the basis of the available evidence, routine infant or toddler immunization using Bexsero is highly unlikely to be cost effective at any vaccine price based on the accepted threshold for cost effectiveness used in the UK and could not be recommended. Similarly, if the vaccine had little or no impact on the acquisition of meningococcal carriage, adolescent immunization is also highly unlikely to be cost effective at any vaccine price.”