PROGRESSING MATERNAL VACCINATION AGAINST RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

Our Bold Moves

Deliver first-in-class science

Transform our go-to-market model

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory tract infections and is the most common cause of viral pneumonia in infants under age one in the U.S.

The first sign that Erin and David Harris’ daughter Emma was sick happened when she was less than 10 days old. She was lethargic, eating very little and the coughing started.

“When our youngest daughter was born, her first cries were music to our ears—but we never expected those cries to take such a scary turn,” said Erin Harris. “I was unprepared to hear our pediatrician say that Emma had RSV at 10 days old and needed to go to the ER.”

>57,000​​​​​​​​​​​​

According to the CDC, over 57,000 hospitalizations among children less than five years old are attributed to RSV infections each year in the U.S.1

In June, Pfizer advanced a maternal immunization vaccine candidate to Phase 3 to help protect infants from contracting RSV.  

"What we’re trying to do is put the good form of a recently characterized protein—one to which people naturally form an immune response—into a vaccine in order to increase a mother’s levels of antibodies while she’s pregnant so that she can pass those antibodies to the baby before it’s born,” said Kena Swanson, Scientist, Pfizer Vaccines Research and Development. “That way, if the vaccine achieves clinical success and regulatory approval, once newborns enter the world, they can already be armed with protective antibodies to help fight against RSV.” 

Pfizer Scientist Kena Swanson (l.) with Erin Harris (r.) and baby Emma Harris who recovered from RSV.

Footnotes

1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Mortality (RSV-Associated Mortality) 2019 Case Definition. CDC.gov. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nndss/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-associated-mortality/case-definition/2019/#:~:text=Background,year%20in%20the%20United%20States. Accessed January 29, 2021

Discover more

Advances for a Potential First-in-Class Chronic OA Pain Treatment

Advancing Breakthroughs for Patients With NASH

Eucrisa, Now Starring Jessica Simpson

Working for Patients with Alopecia Areata

Advancing a Potential Breakthrough for Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis

A Potentially Practice-Changing Approval in Advanced Urothelial Cancer

Addressing an Unmet Need for Certain Patients With BRAF-Mutant mCRC

Learning From Early Breast Cancer Studies to Drive Oncology Research Forward

Cancer Doesn’t Wait: Supporting Screenings During COVID-19

Positive Phase 1/2 Data at One Year for Hemophilia A Gene Therapy

Investigational Gene Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Achieves Exciting Milestones in 2020

Pfizer Vaccines Pipeline Includes Six Late-Stage Candidates

Pfizer Vaccines Launches​​​​​​​ Global Centers of Excellence Network

Progressing Maternal Vaccination Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Pfizer Pledges $100 Million Into New AMR Industry Fund

Partnering with Wellcome to Combat AMR in Sub-Saharan Africa

Expanding Access in China Through Health Insurance Innovation

Pfizer Invests in Biotechnology Innovation through the Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative

Hospital Donations for COVID-19 Response

Pfizer Partners with BioNTech to Advance & Supply COVID-19 Vaccine​​​​​​​

Delivering on the Promise of Biosimilars

Driving Diversity in Our Research and Development​​​​​​​

Site Feature: Puurs, Belgium 

PGS Ingenuity Solves COVID-19 Cold Chain Storage Challenge​​​​​​​

Pfizer and Gilead Sciences Agree to Manufacture and Supply Remdesivir​​​​​​​

Key Medicine Supply and Public Policy During COVID-19

Pfizer Stands with Science

Five-Point Plan for Unprecedented Collaboration

COVID-19 Updates

Read the latest information about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Pfizer.com.

Visit Pfizer.com

Downloads

Join the Conversation

Additional Information

Useful Links

The product information provided in this site is intended only for residents of the United States. The products discussed herein may have different product labeling in different countries.

Copyright © 2020-2021 Pfizer Inc.
All rights reserved

Explore our stories