On Jun. 1, 2021, Sanofi announced that Vaxelis (Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis, Inactivated Poliovirus, Haemophilus b Conjugate and Hepatitis B Vaccine), developed as part of a partnership between with Merck was available in the U.S.

Vaxelis was the first and only hexavalent (six-in-one) combination vaccine available in the U.S. Vaxelis is a vaccine given to protect your child from getting diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), and hepatitis B.

On February 11, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee included Vaxelis as a combination vaccine option in the CDC’s recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. Vaxelis will be widely available in the U.S. through traditional public and private channels, including directly from Sanofi Pasteur.

Combination vaccines take two or more vaccines that could be given individually and put them into a single shot. Combination vaccines, which have been available for more than 50 years, can help reduce the number of injections needed during a single clinic visit. Public health authorities and leading professional associations generally recommend the use of combination vaccines over separate injections, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Academy of Family Physicians, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The World Health Organization and others.

Vaxelis was developed as part of a U.S.-based partnership established in 1991 between Merck and Sanofi Pasteur and draws upon both companies’ experience in the development, manufacturing and marketing of individual and combination vaccines. Vaxelis includes ingredients for diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), pertussis (whooping cough), and polio from Sanofi Pasteur and ingredients for Hib and hepatitis B from Merck.