After losing the initial round in the race to develop an RSV vaccine, Pfizer has now secured a major contract with the UK government to supply 5 million doses of its RSV shot Abrysvo over the next two years. This represents a significant win for Pfizer over its rival GSK, which had previously been the first to gain FDA approval for its RSV vaccine Arexvy.
The UK’s decision to choose Pfizer’s vaccine over GSK’s is a notable setback for the British pharmaceutical company in its home market. GSK had been hoping the UK would launch an immunization program using its Arexvy vaccine, which had generated over £1.2 billion in sales in 2023.
On Monday morning, the United Kingdom launched its RSV immunization campaign, including instructions for patients to receive their Abrysvo doses. The vaccination is scheduled to be available in early August, according to the United Kingdom.
It’s a significant victory for the American company, which has been playing catch-up with its rival since GSK became the first drugmaker to receive FDA approval for the indication in May of last year with its shot Arexvy. Four weeks later, Pfizer received its approval.
In contrast, Pfizer’s Abrysvo had trailed GSK’s vaccine in sales, generating $890 million compared to GSK’s £1.5 billion. However, Pfizer has been making progress, with its Abrysvo sales increasing from $375 million to $515 million in the fourth quarter of last year, aided by an FDA approval to vaccinate pregnant mothers.
The UK’s RSV immunization program is set to begin in early August, with Abrysvo becoming available to patients. This contract win represents a significant boost for Pfizer as it continues to compete with GSK and other players like Sanofi and AstraZeneca in the rapidly evolving RSV vaccine market.
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