Hyderabad: City based leading pharma company Biological E. Limited (BE) on Thursday, November 20, announced that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted pre-qualification (PQ) status to its 14-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), or PNEUBEVAX 14® (BE-PCV-14).
PNEUBEVAX 14 is now BE’s 11th WHO pre-qualified vaccine, which has been developed specifically to prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases. According to the company, it protects against infections caused by 14 different streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes (invasive diseases which can also cause brain damage), including serotypes 22F and 33F—two strains not covered by select other PCVs.
The vaccine was administered to infants from six weeks of age as part of its research. “PNEUBEVAX 14 is designed to guard against serious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis as part of the primary vaccination schedule. Clinical studies show that PNEUBEVAX 14® has a good safety profile and induces robust, serotype-specific immune responses to all 14 targeted strains,” said Biological-E in a press release.
With the WHO pre-qualification status, PNEUBEVAX 14 is all set to support a stable and accessible supply of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which can expand immunisation coverage and reduce the global burden of pneumococcal disease, said BE.
Biological E. Limited (BE) is a Hyderabad-based pharmaceuticals and biologics company founded in 1953. It is the first private sector biological products company in India and the first pharmaceutical company in Southern India.
Mahima Datla, managing director, Biological E. Limited, said, “We are delighted that PNEUBEVAX 14® has received WHO pre-qualification. This milestone enhances global access to high-quality pneumococcal vaccines and strengthens supply security, particularly for children who need them most. WHO PQ enables broader reach through global immunisation initiatives, and we remain committed to supporting public health partners in delivering affordable, reliable vaccines across India and around the world.”
