Pfizer, GSK Join Vaccine Alliance

GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer are the first two companies to commit to providing vaccines against pneumococcal disease to the GAVI Alliance, a public-private health partnership. The two companies will each supply 30 million doses per year over 10 years. GAVI will make the vaccines available at low cost in developing countries, where the disease is a leading cause of death among young children. The supply agreements are part of an advance market commitment under which five governments and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have agreed to fund $1.5 billion in vaccine purchases to provide incentives for vaccine developers and manufacturers.