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Study: Pfizer vaccine cuts pneumonia in elderly

NEW YORK - Pfizer Inc. says its blockbuster vaccine against pneumonia, blood and other infections met its goal of preventing illness in vulnerable elderly patients in a huge study required by U.S. regulators.

The New York-based company's Prevnar 13 protects against 13 strains of pneumococcal disease, which can cause painful children's ear infections, pneumonia and life-threatening bloodstream infections. The elderly are particularly at risk.

The study, known by the acronym CAPiTA, included about 85,000 patients aged 65 or older. It found that compared to study participants getting a dummy shot, those getting the vaccine had about 46 percent fewer cases of pneumonia and about 75 percent fewer cases of invasive pneumococcal disease such as bloodstream infections.

The top-selling vaccine in history, Prevnar 13 brings Pfizer $4 billion in annual revenue.

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