Pfizer Inc. reports that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the company’s biologics license application (BLA) for bivalent recombinant LP2086 (rLP2086), the company's vaccine candidate for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B in 10 through 25 year olds. The FDA has also granted priority review designation for the BLA, providing an anticipated Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of February 14, 2015.

Pfizer's investigational meningococcal B vaccine is composed of two recombinant LP2086 antigens, or factor H binding proteins (fHBP). The vaccine includes antigens from both types of fHBP, subfamily A and subfamily B. Pfizer says its preclinical research has shown that this approach has the potential to provide coverage against the majority of meningococcal B strains.

Pfizer is conducting a global clinical development program for bivalent rLP2086, which includes both Phase II and Phase III trials evaluating more than 20,000 participants, approximately 14,000 of whom will receive the investigational vaccine. The Phase III program began in November 2012 with the initiation of a large-scale safety study. Additional immunogenicity and safety studies are also ongoing.

The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for bivalent rLP2086 in March 2014 based, in part, on data from clinical trials studying the safety and immunogenicity of bivalent rLP2086.

Source: Pfizer