Pfizer Nabs Patent for Pneumonia Vax in India

Aug. 25, 2017

India’s patent office has granted Pfizer a patent for its Prevenar 13 pneumonia vaccine.

The decision allows Pfizer to exclusively sell the vaccine in India until 2026, preventing Indian companies from making cheaper versions for domestic use.

The decision came with opposition from medical charity groups, such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF). MSF filed an objection to Pfizer’s patent request last year on the grounds that a patent would deprive many developing nations of cheaper copies.  Additionally, MSF made headlines last year when it turned down Pfizer’s offer of one million free Prevnar 13 vaccines, claiming that pharma companies use donations as "justification for why prices remain high for others, including other humanitarian organizations and developing countries."

Read the Reuters coverage