Meningococcal AC Polysaccharide Vaccine

1) Meningococcal Disease

① What is meningococcal disease?

Meningococcal disease is caused by infection with bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis which can be found normally in people’s throats and noses. These bacteria can infect the tissue (the “meninges”) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and cause meningitis, or they may infect the blood or other body organs.

Signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease include sudden onset of fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or mental confusion. A rash may also be present. Changes in behavior such as confusion, sleepiness, and unresponsiveness are important symptoms of illness.

Onset of illness may be very sudden, and 10-15% die despite receiving antibiotic treatment. Of those who survive, 10-20% may lose limbs, become hearing impaired or deaf, have problems with their nervous system, including long-term neurologic problems, or have seizures or strokes.

② How common is meningococcal disease?

Worldwide, the incidence of meningococcal disease is highest in a region of sub-Saharan African known as the “meningitis belt”. This hyper-endemic region extends from Senegal to Ethiopia, and is characterized by seasonal epidemics during the dry season (incidence rate: 10-100 cases per 100,000 population), punctuated by explosive epidemics in 8-12 year cycles (incidence rates can be greater than 1,000 cases per 100,000 population).

Across the meningitis belt, at least 350 million people are at risk for meningitis during these annual epidemics. Meningitis epidemics are generally caused by serogroup A, although outbreaks have also been caused by serogroups C, W135, and X (1-3, 7, 13, 21, 28) of Neisseria meningitidis.

③ What is serogroup of Neisseria meningitidis?

Neisseria meningitidis may either be encapsulated or unencapsulated. However, nearly all invasive Neisseria meningitidis organisms are encapsulated, or surrounded by a polysaccharide capsule.

This capsular polysaccharide is used to classify Neisseria meningitidis into 12 serogroups. Six of these serogroups cause the great majority of infections in people: A, B, C, W135, X, and Y.

④ How to prevent meningococcal disease?

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent meningococcal disease and Walvax’s Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine has been introduced as Chinese and Egyptian Expanded Programme on Immunization since 2012 and 2018 respectively.

2) Overseas sales

EPI: Walxax’s Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine has been introduces as Egyptian Expanded Programme on Immunization since 2018.

20+ Million Doses: Walvax has successfully exported more than 20 millions doses of Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine to Egypt until today.

27 Governorates: Walvax’s Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine has been delivered to 27 governorates by the Partner of Walvax sustainably and safely.

20+ Million Children； More tha 20 million children have been vaccinated with Walvax’s Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine before attending the elementary school.

3) Prescribing Information

Product Name

Group A and C Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine

Composition

1 dose(0.5ml) contains:

Neisseria meningitides serogroup A polysaccharide…………………….50μg

Neisseria meningitides serogroup C polysaccharide…………………….50μg

Lactose (stabilizer)……………………………………………………..…….4mg

Sodium Chloride………………………………………..……………..….4.25mg

Diluent: Sterile water for injection……………………………….…………0.5ml

Presentation

Lyophilized, 1 single human dose/vial, 0.5 ml/dose after reconstitution.

10 doses per box

Schedule

≥2 years: 1 dose, inject subcutaneously into lateral upper arm.

Shelf Life

24 months at 2-8℃.