Pfizer Inc. PFE said late Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration approved its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine Abrysvo for older adults. The drug maker said the FDA approved Abrysvo for use in adults 60 years of age or older. RSV is a contagious virus that attacks the lungs and breathing passages, and is considered a common cause of respiratory illness globally, Pfizer said, adding the vaccine will be available in the third quarter before RSV season in the fall. Back in February, the vaccine gained the slight backing of an FDA advisory panel, which makes non-binding recommendations to the agency. Earlier in May, the FDA approved Arexvy, GSK PLC’s GSK RSV vaccine, the first to gain U.S. approval for older adults. Pfizer shares were up 0.2% after hours, but had gained 2.7% to close Wednesday’s regular session at $38.02, while the S&P 500 index SPX finished down 0.6%.
Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.