FDA approves Merck vaccine designed to protect adults from bacteria that can cause pneumonia, serious infections

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Merck's new vaccine designed to protect adults from a bacteria known as pneumococcus that can cause serious illnesses and a lung infection called pneumonia, a spokesperson for the drugmaker said.Merck's shot, called Capvaxive, specifically protects against 21 strains of that bacteria to prevent a severe form of pneumococcal disease that can spread to other parts of the body and lead to pneumonia. It's the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine designed speci ...