Sanofi Pasteur receives WHO prequalification for typhoid vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur has been granted prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for Typhim Vi, its new polysaccharide typhoid vaccine.

The drug, which is licensed in more than 100 countries, has become the first typhoid vaccine to be granted this status, a move that will help to expand global access to the treatment.

WHO prequalification is a prerequisite for GAVI Alliance New and Underused Vaccines Support for vaccine distribution and will also allow the product to be procured by Unicef and other United Nations agencies.

Olivier Charmeil, president and chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur, said: "Sanofi Pasteur is truly pleased and proud to bring to the immunisation community the first WHO prequalified typhoid vaccine … to help combat a serious disease that affects the lives of millions of individuals each year."

Earlier this year, it was announced that Sanofi Pasteur has allied with Merck Sharpe and Dohme to conduct phase III development of a hexavalent combination vaccine designed to combat a number of serious illnesses affecting children.