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Highlights

  • CDC Advisory Committee recommends Penmenvy for adolescent meningococcal vaccination schedule.
  • Penmenvy simplifies vaccination delivery by combining MenACWY and MenB vaccines in one dose.
  • GSK’s MenABCWY vaccine is now recommended for adolescents aged 10-25.

GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) has received a significant step forward in the U.S. vaccination landscape, as the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the use of Penmenvy, a combined meningococcal vaccine. Penmenvy, which protects against meningococcal groups A, B, C, W, and Y, is now recommended for adolescents aged 10 years and older as an alternative to receiving separate doses of MenACWY (serogroups A, C, W, and Y) and MenB (serogroup B) vaccines. This recommendation, which will be reviewed and potentially adopted by the CDC, could simplify the vaccination process for U.S. adolescents, reducing the number of doses required for full protection against invasive meningococcal disease.

The vaccine is a pentavalent formulation that combines the antigenic components of two established GSK vaccines—Bexsero (MenB vaccine) and Menveo (MenACWY vaccine). The new recommendation, if finalized, would allow healthcare providers to administer both vaccines in a single dose during the same clinic visit, often given around age 16. This change could help improve vaccination rates, particularly in a population at higher risk for meningococcal disease.

Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GSK’s MenABCWY vaccine on February 14, 2025, for use in individuals aged 10-25 years, further expanding its potential impact. Currently, less than 13% of U.S. adolescents have received the full recommended MenB vaccination series, highlighting the opportunity for increased immunization rates with this combined vaccine approach.