Pfizer, Merck next-gen pneumococcal vaccines score key CDC panel's backing on way to rival rollouts

With a new vote from CDC vaccine advisors, the U.S. appears set for rival pneumococcal vaccine rollouts from two of the industry's biggest players.

At a meeting Wednesday, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend Pfizer's Prevnar 20 and Merck's Vaxneuvance as routine immunizations to help protect against invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pfizer's shot protects against 20 serotypes, while Merck's defends against 15.