Pfizer's Prevnar, Sanofi-Aventis' ActHIB Vaccines Temporarily Suspended In Japan; Safety Committee Unwilling To Lift Action After First Meeting

TOKYO - Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare temporarily suspended Pfizer Inc.'s Prevnar and Sanofi-Aventis SA's ActHIB following the death of four infants and now the companies find themselves in front of Japan's cautious safety council awaiting a decision that has the potential to have a large commercial impact, particularly on the blockbuster Prevnar, the latest iteration of which - Prevnar 13, a 13-valent vaccine for both children and adults - is currently in Phase III trials in Japan