The effectiveness of PCV10-GSK and PCV13-PFZP against vaccine serotypes have been demonstrated across multiple schedules, including 3p+0, 2p+1 and 3p+1, with evidence supported by multi-country systematic reviews at global and regional levels. Go to footnote 1, Go to footnote 2, Go to footnote 3, Go to footnote 4 Both vaccines provide direct protection in vaccinated individuals and indirect protection to unvaccinated members of the community through reduced transmission (i.e., herd protection). There is limited protection against serotype 3 in PCV13-PFZP.
PCV10-SII was licensed based on immunobridging studies showing non-inferiority to PCV10-GSK and PCV13-PFZ. Go to footnote 5, Go to footnote 6 Data on the effectiveness and impact of PCV10-SII are limited. PCV10-SII was introduced in Kenya in late 2022, replacing PCV10-GSK, which had been used for 11 years at high coverage, in a 3p+0 schedule. Preliminary results of a study that compared data from the PCV10-GSK period (2012-21) to the PCV10-SII period (2022-23) indicate that overall carriage prevalence remained stable between the two periods. These preliminary results suggest that PCV10-SII has a comparable effect on IPD and nasopharyngeal carriage as PCV10-GSK and PCV13-PFZ. Go to footnote 7
All three licensed extended valency products, i.e., PCV14, PCV15 and PCV20, were licensed based on immunobridging studies; no real-world clinical data are available on their efficacy or effectiveness against clinical outcomes. Go to footnote 8, Go to footnote 9, Go to footnote 10, Go to footnote 11
- Go back to footnote reference 1
World Health Organization (2025). Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in infants and children under 5 years of age: WHO position paper – September 2025.
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Bennett JC, Deloria-Knoll M, Kagucia EW, Garcia Quesada M, Zeger SL, Hetrich MK et al. (2024). Global impact of ten valent and 13 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on invasive pneumococcal disease in all ages (the PSERENADE project): a global surveillance analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024. doi: 10.1016/S1473 3099(24)00588 7.
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Ngocho JS, Magoma B, Olomi GA, Mahande MJ, Msuya SE et al. (2019). Effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines against invasive pneumococcal disease among children under five years of age in Africa: a systematic review. PLoS One. 14:e0212295. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212295.
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de Oliveira LH, Shioda K, Valenzuela MT, Janusz CB, Rearte A, Sbarra AN et al. Declines in pneumonia mortality following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Clin Infect Dis. 2020. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa614
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Clarke E, Bashorun A, Adigweme I, Badjie Hydara M, Umesi A, Futa A et al. Immunogenicity and safety of a novel ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in healthy infants in The Gambia: a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, non-inferiority trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021;21:834-46. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30735-0.
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Adigweme I, Futa A, Saidy-Jah E, Edem B, Akpalu E, Dibbasey T et al. Immunogenicity and safety of a 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine administered as a 2 + 1 schedule to healthy infants in The Gambia: a single-centre, double-blind, active-controlled, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2023;23:609-20. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00734-4.
- Go back to footnote reference 7
Report of the SAGE Working Group on Pneumococcal Vaccines, March 10-13, 2025. In: The SAGE Yellow Book March 2025 (https://terrance.who.int/mediacentre/data/sage/SAGE_eYB_March2025V1.pdf , accessed 25 April 2025).
- Go back to footnote reference 8
Matur RV, Thuluva S, Gunneri S, Yerroju V, Reddy Mogulla R, Thammireddy K et al. Immunogenicity and safety of a 14-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PNEUBEVAX 14) administered to 6-8 weeks old healthy Indian Infants: A single blind, randomized, active-controlled, Phase-III study. Vaccine. 2024;42:3157-65. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.056
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Wagner G, Gartlehner G, Thaler K, Ledinger D, Feyertag J, Klerings I et al. Immunogenicity and safety of the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, a systematic review and meta-analysis. NPJ Vaccines. 2024;9:257. doi: 10.1038/s41541-024-01048-y.
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Senders S, Klein NP, Tamimi N, Thompson A, Baugher G, Trammel J et al. A Phase Three Study of the Safety and Immunogenicity of a Four-dose Series of 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Healthy Infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2024;43:596-603. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004334
- Go back to footnote reference 11
Korbal P, Wysocki J, Jackowska T, Kline M, Tamimi N, Drozd J et al. Phase 3 Safety and Immunogenicity Study of a Three-dose Series of Twenty-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Healthy Infants and Toddlers. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2024;43:587-95. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004300.
