Pfizer ceases vaccine commercial operations in China as sole license not renewed

Pfizer Inc. (PFE.NYSE) wil cease vaccine commercial operations in China after the government did not renew its import license for the only vaccine the company sells there, Bloomberg reported, citing a statement from the company. While the vaccine, Prevenar, is the only one for pneumococcal disease approved in China for children under two, no data proves infants have a high infection rate, said Shi Lichen, a manager at Beijing Dingchen Medical Consultancy. A company spokesperson said Pfizer was in the process of working with the government to get a newer version of the drug onto the market.