21-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Adults Presents Positive Data

Merck today announced results from STRIDE-10, a Phase 3 trial evaluating V116, the company’s investigational, adult-specific 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Key results from the study include:

V116 elicited immune responses that were noninferior compared to PPSV23 for the 12 serotypes (or strains) common to both vaccines, as measured by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) at Day 30.

Immune responses elicited by V116 were superior for the nine serotypes included in V116 but not PPSV23, as measured by OPA GMT ratios at Day 30, and superior for eight of nine serotypes unique to V116 compared to PPSV23, as measured by the proportions of participants with ≥4-fold rise in immune responses.

V116 had a safety profile comparable to PPSV23.

“Invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia represent significant public health challenges, particularly among older adult populations and those with risk conditions,” said Dr. Walter Orenstein, professor emeritus of medicine, epidemiology, global health and pediatrics at Emory University and member of Merck’s Scientific Advisory Committee, in a press release on April 29, 2024.

“These positive results show that V116 has the potential to help prevent invasive pneumococcal disease among adult populations.”

In addition to the clinical data on V116, Merck also presented findings that suggest V116 may help to reduce the health and economic burden associated with invasive pneumococcal disease and non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia among adults in France, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands.