ACIP Votes to Recommend the Use of MenABCWY in Adolescent Vaccine Schedule
The FDA approved Penmenvy in February 2025 for use in patients aged 10 to 25 years.
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the use of meningococcal groups A, B, C, W, and Y vaccine (Penmenvy) as part of the adolescent meningococcal vaccination schedule. The recommendation states that patients older than 10 years receive a single dose of Penmenvy as an alternative to separate administration of meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y (MenACWY) and meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccinations. The latter are typically given on the same clinic visit at age 16.1
The FDA approved Penmenvy in February 2025 for use in patients aged 10 to 25 years. | Image Credit: anidimi - stock.adobe.com
“We welcome this positive recommendation that can help strengthen disease prevention efforts in the US. Pentavalent vaccines can reduce the number of injections required to help protect against invasive meningococcal disease—especially disease caused by serogroup B,” Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK, said in a news release.1 “Their use could improve immunization rates among adolescents and young adults in the US, who are at an age with increased risk.”
The recommendations of the ACIP will be reviewed, and if adopted, published as the official CDC recommendations. If the CDC adopts the recommendation, it could simplify the vaccination delivery and potentially improve immunization rates with fewer injections, according to the company.1
Neisseria meningitidis can cause meningococcal disease, including invasive disease. There are 2 common types of infections: meningitis and bloodstream infections. Meningitis is when the bacteria infects the lining of the brain and spinal cord, causing swelling, and bloodstream infection can cause bacteria to enter the blood and damage the walls of blood vessels, causing bleeding in the skin and organs, according to the CDC. The bacteria can live in the back of the nose and throat and can be spread by sharing saliva. Generally, close or lengthy contact can spread the bacteria, the CDC states.2
Vaccination is the best way to prevent the disease, and current recommendations include all preteens and teens as well as children and adults at an increased risk for meningococcal disease. Patients with close contact with someone with meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent illness, and reinfection is possible, though it is rare.2
The FDA approved the vaccine in February 2025 for use in patients aged 10 to 25 years. The vaccine targets 5 major serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis, which causes invasive meningococcal disease. The vaccine combined 2 GSK meningococcal vaccines and was supported by evidence from 2 phase 3 trials (NCT04502693; NCT04707391). In trial 1, investigators evaluated the effectiveness of 2 or 3 doses of the meningococcal group B vaccine and 2 doses of Pnemenvy in 3651 individuals. Investigators found that the breadth of immune responses was 78.7% for the 0-to-2-month schedule, 81.8% for 0 to 6 months, and 83.2% for the 0-and-2-to-6-month schedule, and there were no clinically relevant differences in immunogenicity.3
In the other study, investigators found that there was noninferiority for MenABCWY, with the percentages of individuals with hSBA titers ≥ LLOQ for serotypes ACWY at 97.9% to 98.9% and 99.5% to 100% for the 1 and 2 doses of the MenABCWY doses, respectively. The vaccine was also tolerated, according to the data.3
