The UK government has selected Pfizer to supply millions of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine doses, snubbing local pharma company GSK and its competing product.
The New York-based pharma confirmed in a statement that it was selected by the UK as the vaccine of choice for a national RSV immunization program after a “competitive tender process.”
The decision was first reported by Bloomberg News, which said the agreement included more than 3.5 million doses for older adults and 1.4 million for pregnant people. A Pfizer spokesperson declined to confirm those amounts, deferring to the UK government.
The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A GSK spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” that its vaccine wasn’t selected but is “very confident in the value it delivers.”
The decision comes weeks after GSK became the first vaccine maker to snag an expanded label in the US to vaccinate adults ages 50 to 59. In April, Pfizer reported positive Phase 3 results in adults 18 to 59, touting neutralizing antibody levels that were non-inferior to those seen in the older, 60-plus population.
But Pfizer’s vaccine, not GSK’s, is approved for use in pregnant people. GSK previously halted a Phase 3 study in the population, citing an increased risk of preterm birth.
Both vaccines have been major revenue streams for the companies since being approved in May 2023. GSK’s Arexvy raked in £1.24 billion ($1.33 billion) in 2023, including £529 million ($671 million) in the fourth quarter. Pfizer’s Abrysvo notched $890 million in global revenue last year.