Vaccine Info

Meningococcal Vaccines

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Staff
Last reviewed
March 9, 2024
Fact checked by
Robert Carlson, MD
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Meningococcal Vaccines 2024

There are two types of meningococcal vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) and Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination schedules for adolescents and young adults include a MenACWY vaccine and a separate MenB vaccine (four doses) to protect against meningococcal disease. In 2023, the CDC affirmed that a booster dose of MenACWY is recommended at the age of 16 years, and using shared clinical decision-making, adolescents and young adults aged 16–23 may also receive serogroup B meningococcal vaccine (MenB).

Internationally, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.K. NHS have approved vaccines such as MenQuadfi and Hib/MenC. The Global Road Map for Defeating Meningitis by 2030 was endorsed by the World Health Assembly and was launched in 2021. According to a research report published in September 2022, the meningococcal vaccine market may reach about U.S. $5.91 billion by 2030.

Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) Vaccines

According to the CDC, 88.6% of adolescents aged 13–17 had received ≥1 MenACWY dose in 2022. 

Menactra vaccine is for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Menactra vaccine is approved for use in persons nine months through 55.

Menveo® vaccine is indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Menveo is approved for use in persons two months through 55.

MenQuadfi® vaccine is indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, W, and Y. MenQuadfi is approved for use in individuals two years of age and older.

Serogroup B Meningococcal (MenB) Vaccines

Trumenba vaccine is for active immunization to prevent invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. Trumenba is approved for individuals 10-25 years of age.

Bexsero® is a vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, which causes invasive diseases. The vaccine was approved for use in 2015 for individuals aged 10 through 25. 

Two additional licensed meningococcal vaccines are no longer available in the United States: 1) a quadrivalent (serogroups A, C, W, and Y) meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) (Menomune – A/C/Y/W-135) and 2) a combined Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal serogroups C and Y conjugate vaccine (Hib-MenCY-TT) (MenHibrix).

Meningococcal Pentavalent Vaccines

GlobalData projects the collective revenue for pentavalent vaccines to reach approximately $555 million in the U.S. by 2029.

Pfizer Inc.'s PENBRAYA™ (meningococcal groups A, B, C, W, and Y vaccine) is a pentavalent vaccine that combines the components from two meningococcal vaccines, Trumenba® (meningococcal group B vaccine) and Nimenrix® (meningococcal groups A, C, W-135, and Y conjugate vaccine), to help protect against the five most common meningococcal serogroups that cause the majority of M.D. globally. PENBRAYA is administered as a two-dose series given six months apart. On October 25, 2023, Jennifer Collins, MD, MSc, presented a Summary of EtR and proposed recommendations for Pfizer's MenABCWY vaccine.

Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. MenFive® (NmCV-5) is a pentavalent vaccine targeting the A, C, W, Y, and X serogroup; in July 2023, the WHO prequalified MenFive®. A study published on May 25, 2023, found all four serotypes in common with the MenACWY-D vaccine, the NmCV-5 vaccine-elicited immune responses that were noninferior to those elicited by the MenACWY-D vaccine. In the phase 3 clinical trial, NmCV-5 elicited immune responses to serogroup X. No safety concerns were evident. In September 2023. the WHO's SAGE then advised all countries in the meningitis belt to introduce the new vaccine, which it described as Men5CV, into their routine immunization programs: a single dose scheduled at 9 to 18 months of age.

GSK's MenABCWY vaccine candidate preliminary results from the phase III trial show all primary endpoints met, demonstrating statistical non-inferiority compared to Bexsero (meningococcal group B vaccine) and Menveo (meningococcal group A, C, W-135, and Y conjugate vaccine), in individuals 10-25 years old with an acceptable safety profile.

Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccine in Africa

A conjugate vaccine that protects people against the five causes of meningococcal meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y, W, and X. It's expected to be more affordable and accessible to meningitis belt countries than current multivalent meningococcal vaccines, says the WHO in October 2023. More than 350 million people in 24 high-risk African countries have received the MenAfriVac vaccine since 2010.

Clinical Trials

No clinical trials found