Sanofi Pasteur MSD Submits Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine for European Licences

LYON, France, April 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

- Addition of fourth influenza virus strain aims to increase protection against influenza -

Sanofi Pasteur MSD, the joint venture between MSD and Sanofi Pasteur, announced today that it has submitted a decentralized marketing authorization application in Europe for a 'Quadrivalent' influenza vaccine, a new advanced seasonal flu vaccine.

The 'Quadrivalent' vaccine, developed by Sanofi Pasteur, is expected to help protect people from four different strains of seasonal influenza viruses. Currently available flu vaccines protect against three strains of flu viruses. By including a fourth influenza strain, the new seasonal flu vaccine could help further reduce influenza disease and influenza-related complications, hospitalizations and deaths.

"This filing clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing advanced vaccine solutions to help improve disease prevention in Europe," said Jean Paul Kress, President of Sanofi Pasteur MSD. "We believe that quadrivalent flu vaccines will become the new standard for the prevention of seasonal flu."

The new flu vaccine has been submitted for licences in Europe under the decentralized approval process, with France acting as the "Reference Member State" for the review of the licence dossier.  

Once approved, the new quadrivalent vaccine will be commercialized in Western European countries by Sanofi Pasteur MSD and in Eastern European countries by Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi.

About Sanofi Pasteur MSD       http://www.spmsd.com

Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi, and Merck, known as MSD outside the USA and Canada. Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur MSD is the only company in Europe dedicated exclusively to vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur MSD is able to draw on the research expertise of Sanofi Pasteur and Merck to focus on the development of new vaccines for Europe to improve the acceptability, efficacy and tolerability of vaccination.