Within the framework of the program «Charity instead of souvenirs», Pfizer together with its Russian partner Petrovax Pharm shipped 20 thousand doses of 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) to Khabarovsk territory to immunize children and the elderly with chronic pathology in the Far Eastern regions that suffered from a natural disaster. Besides Khabarovsk territory, in early 2014, additional 5,000 vaccine doses will be shipped to Amur region, and 1,000 doses — to the Jewish Autonomous region. Mass vaccination using PCV13 is expected to manifold reduce the morbidity rate among these population groups in the areas that suffered from the flood.
To deliver the vaccine to Khabarovsk territory, unique equipment was used, including special-purpose insulated shipping containers, to guarantee shipment of the vaccine quantity required with strict observance of the temperature conditions.
Natalia Puchkova, Petrovax Pharm First Deputy CEO: «Participation in social and charity projects is Petrovax Pharm’s important and long-standing tradition. Since being put in operation, Petrovax Pharm facility has been providing targeted aid to public organizations, medical, and educational institutions. That is why we readily responded to the call to help the population that had suffered from the flood in certain Far Eastern regions. Together with Pfizer, we shipped to that territory the pneumococcal vaccine to effectively immunize children and the elderly against potentially fatal diseases."
About pneumococcal infection
Pneumococcal vaccination is in the national immunization schedules of 78 countries.
On 21.12.2013, the Russian President signed the law «On amendments to Article 9 of the Federal Law «On immunization against infectious diseases» to extend the National Immunization Schedule due to inclusion of the pneumococcal infection into this schedule starting from 2014.
Pfizer’s 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine was awarded a Prix Galien as the Best Innovative Product.
Pfizer and Petrovax Pharm’s joint project
In March 2011, Petrovax Pharm and Pfizer signed an agreement on the start of cooperation for manufacturing the 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in Russia. Under this agreement, the vaccine has been manufactured at Petrovax Pharm’s state-of-the-art facility in Moscow region.
Pfizer and Petrovax Pharm’s joint project is in line with the objectives of the Russian Pharmaceutical Industry Development Strategy Until 2020, and represents the partners’ contribution to the Russian healthcare upgrade process. Within the framework of the above agreement, a full-cycle manufacturing technology has been transferred, and a manufacturing process has been established in full compliance with the GMP standards.
Petrovax Pharm’s charity program
Petrovax Pharm is a participant of the initiative «Charity instead of souvenirs». In 2013, the company channeled its souvenir budget for supporting the public association Children of Podolye uniting large, foster, one-parent, and disabled families. The company also funded an Orthodox church in the city of Dmitrov, Podolye football club, and together with the Research Center for Hematology organized a free blood donation program; 59 Petrovax Pharm employees took part in that program.
