On Apr. 14, 2022, Merck announced that V116, the companyﾒs investigational 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, had received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 3, 6A/C, 7F, 8, 9N, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15A, 15B/C, 16F, 17F, 19A, 20, 22F, 23A, 23B, 24F, 31, 33F, 35B in adults 18 years of age and older. Phase 3 clinical trials for V116 were to be initiated later in the year.