Pentavalent vaccine

Pentavalent combines five different vaccines in a single vial to protect against five diseases: diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DTP), hepatitis B (HepB) and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib).

Offering HepB and Hib vaccines as part of a five-in-one conjugate pentavalent vaccine doesn’t just improve coverage, it also means that just three shots are needed instead of the usual nine to provide the same cover from separate vaccines (three each for DTP, HepB and Hib vaccines).

Other advantages include:

Widespread protection is achieved quickly and safely;
Shipping costs are lower;
With fewer syringes to dispose of, environmental impact is reduced;
Fewer injections mean less distress for children and parents

Components are described below.

– Diphtheria toxoid: a sub-unit antibacterial vaccine, made from the modified toxin (poison) produced by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The vaccine protects against diphtheria.

– Pertussis vaccine: an inactivated antibacterial vaccine, which contains killed whole bacterial cells. It protects against pertussis.

– Tetanus toxoid (TT): a sub-unit antibacterial vaccine made from the modified toxin produced by Clostridium tetani.

– Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): a conjugate antibacterial vaccine, which protects against pneumonia and meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. These bacteria are the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in children under five years of age in countries where Hib vaccine is not routinely given to all infants. Meningitis refers to severe infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which can rapidly lead to high fever, paralysis and death. Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria are also the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children. Pneumonia is a severe infection of the lungs, which causes the air sacs to fill with fluid and pus; this makes breathing painful and difficult, and reduces the oxygen entering into body.

SOBHAN has prepared all components and the formulation technology has been taken from an Indian company as a tech transfer project, under supervision of a European company.