By Bae Ji-sook
Staff reporter
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will release a new vaccine that could prevent various lung diseases and inflammation in the middle ear among infants.
Synflorix is said to be effective in the immunization of otitis media (middle ear inflammation) and various lung diseases caused by streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumonia) among children aged between six weeks and two years.
S. pneumonia is one of the leading causes of pneumonia and is fatal for infants. Otitis media is said to prevail in 75 percent of children under three years old, of which 50 percent suffer relapses.
Manufacturer GSK said the vaccine immunizes three additional serotypes of S. pneumonia from the current seven. It was effective for 57.6 percent in preventing the otitis media caused by the S. pneumonia and was effective 33.3 percent in all kinds of otitis media of the 4,968 infants that participated in the POET clinical test.
Three inoculations are required, at two, four and six months old and additional session at 12 to 15 months.