(chmp) of the european medicines agency (ema) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product apexxnar, intended for prophylaxis against pneumococcal pneumonia and associated invasive disease. the applicant for this medicinal product is pfizer europe ma eeig. apexxnar was approved for medical use in the european union in february 2022. economics prevnar 13 is pfizer's best-selling product. it had annual sales of us$5.85 billion in 2020. research merck is investigating a 21-valent vaccine (code named v116) against pneumococcus serotypes. the vaccine is geared towards persons living with hiv.