Menveo vs Menactra

Menveo and Menactra are both indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease. Here we will explain how they work, their similarities and differences, their side effects, and more. This should provide you with the basics to better understand your options.

What is Menveo?

The quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines Menactra (MenACWY vaccine-DT) and Menveo (MenACWY vaccine-CRM), have replaced the quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine Menomune (MPSV4).

Menveo is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medication manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is a vaccine used for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Meningococcal disease usually presents as meningitis, bacteremia, or bacteremic pneumonia.

Groups at high risk of meningococcal disease include:

• People with persistent complement component deficiencies
• People using complement inhibitors such as eculizumab and ravulizumab for the treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome or paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
• People with anatomic or functional asplenia, including sickle cell disease
• Microbiologists routinely exposed to meningococcal isolates
• People at increased risk during a meningococcal disease outbreak
• Military recruits
• College students

Certain groups are at an increased risk of serogroups A, C, W, and Y, but not serogroup B:

• People living with HIV infection
• Men who have sex with men
• Travelers to countries where meningococcal disease is endemic or hyperendemic

Menveo is approved for use in pediatric persons aged 2 months to 55 years of age. It does not prevent N. meningitidis serogroup B infections. Menveo contains Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, and W-135) oligosaccharide diphtheria CRM197 conjugate vaccine as the active ingredient.

Menveo dosage

Menveo is available as a solution for intramuscular injection, available as a lyophilized MenA conjugate vaccine which is required to be reconstituted with the MenCYW-135 liquid conjugate vaccine component. After reconstitution, a single dose is 0.5 mL.

Primary Vaccination:

• In children initiate the primary dose at 2 months of age. Menveo is to be given at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months of age
• In children initiate vaccination at 7 months to 23 months of age, in 2 doses, with the second dose given in the second year of life and at least 3 months after the first dose
• In patients in the 2 to 55 years, age group administer as a single dose

Booster Vaccinations:

• A single booster dose of Menveo may be given to patients aged 15 to 55 years of age who are at continued risk for meningococcal disease if at least 4 years have passed since a previous dose of a meningococcal conjugate vaccine

What is Menactra?

Menactra is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medication manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur Inc. Menactra is indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Menactra is approved for use in individuals 9 months through 55 years of age. Menactra does not prevent N meningitidis serogroup B disease.

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that affects 800 to 1,200 Americans each year. Although it is rare it can cause severe, permanent disabilities and death. One in five of those who survive, have serious medical problems, which include amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes, neurologic damage, and deafness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine administration of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine to adolescents aged 11 through 18 years old. The CDC recommends patients receive one dose of vaccine at age 11 or 12 years, and a second dose at age 16 years, to help protect teens and young adults during the period when they are at increased risk of contracting meningococcal disease.

Menactra dosage

Menactra vaccine is available in solution form, supplied in 0.5 mL single-dose vials.

Your dose of Menactra is based on your age, and whether you are receiving your primary or booster vaccination. Menactra is administered by intramuscular injection.

Primary Series:

• Children 9 through 23 months of age – two doses, with a minimum interval of three months
• Individuals 2 through 55 years of age – a single dose

Booster Vaccination:

• A single booster dose may be given to individuals 15 through 55 years of age at continued risk for meningococcal disease if at least 4 years have elapsed since the prior dose

Always speak with a healthcare professional about any changes to your dose so they can monitor and evaluate your condition.

Menactra contains Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, and W-135) Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine as the active ingredient.

Common side effects of Menveo and Menactra

The most common side effects of Menveo in clinical trials include:

• Children 2 months of age receiving the 4-dose series – tenderness and erythema at the injection site, irritability, sleepiness, crying, change in eating habits, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Children 7 months to 23 months of age receiving the 2 dose series – tenderness and erythema at the injection site, irritability, sleepiness, crying, change in eating habits, and diarrhea
• Children aged 2 to 10 years – injection site pain, erythema, irritability, induration, sleepiness, malaise, and headache
• Adolescents and adults receiving a single dose – pain at the injection site headache, myalgia, malaise, and nausea

The most common side effects of Menactra in clinical trials include:

• In infants and toddlers 9 and 12 months of age – injection site tenderness, erythema, swelling, irritability, abnormal crying, drowsiness, appetite loss, vomiting, irritability, drowsiness, and fever
• In individuals, 2 through 55 years of age who received a single dose – injection site pain, redness, induration, swelling, anorexia, headache, fatigue, malaise, myalgia, and arthralgia

These aren’t all the side effects Menveo or Menactra can cause. You can find more details in the patient leaflet with your medication. Talk to your physician or pharmacist if you have any concerns about side effects.

Menveo and Menactra drug interactions

Menveo can interact with other medications. These include:

• Corticosteroids
• Immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine, voclosporin, fingolimod, ozanimod, or siponimod. Individuals receiving immunosuppressant therapy may have reduced immune responses to Menveo
• DMARDs – leflunomide, teriflunomide
• Cancer treatments – idelalisib and asciminib
• Do not mix Menveo or any of its components in the same syringe or vial with any other vaccine or diluent

Menactra can interact with other medications. These include:

• When Menactra and Daptacel are administered to children 4 through 6 years of age, preference should be given to simultaneous administration of the 2 vaccines or administration of Menactra before Daptacel. Administration of Menactra one month after Daptacel reduces the meningococcal antibody responses to Menactra
• Pneumococcal antibody responses to some serotypes in Prevnar (PCV7) were decreased following the coadministration of Menactra and PCV7

Menveo and Menactra can interact with other medications. This can change how Menveo and Drug 2 and other medications work and can make side effects more likely. Tell your prescribing physician about all your drugs, including vitamins and dietary supplements.

Menveo and Menactra contraindications

You should not use Menveo if you:

• Have had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of Menveo, any component of this vaccine, or any other CRM197, diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, or meningococcal-containing vaccine

Talk to your doctor before using Menveo if you:

• Have a severe illness with a fever or any type of infection
• Have a weak immune system caused by disease or by using certain medicine
• Have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Have a history of premature birth
• Are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant
• Are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed

You should not use Menactra if you:

• Are allergic to the active ingredient meningococcal conjugate vaccine
• Have had a severe allergic reaction to a meningococcal capsular polysaccharide, diphtheria toxoid, or CRM197 containing vaccine, or to any component of Menactra

Talk to your doctor before using Menactra if you:

• Are taking any of the medications that could interact with Menactra
• Have previously been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
• Are younger than 9 months of age
• Are older than 55 years of age
• Are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant – a pregnancy registry is available. To register or to report adverse events call (800) 822-2463 and refer to www.cdc.gov for ACIP guidelines
• Are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed

Other drugs for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease

• Prevnar 13
• MenQuadfi
• MenHibrix
• Bexsero
• Trumenba

If you have any concerns about Menveo or Menactra side effects, talk to your physician, or pharmacist for medical advice. Also inform your healthcare provider about any medical conditions, supplements, and over-the-counter meds you are taking. You are also encouraged to report side effects to the FDA: visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.