Once considered a dead area of drug development, vaccines have enjoyed a resurgence in the last several year as drug developers seek to expand the list of vaccine-preventable diseases. Recent additions to the list include shots for rotavirus (1998), HPV (2006) and swine flu (2009). Since the discovery of the first vaccine for small pox in 1796, the list of preventable diseases has swelled to 26, and continues to grow as drugmakers battle for market share in this rejuvenated field.
List of vaccine-preventable diseases
| Anthrax | Yellow fever |
| Cervical cancer | Pertussis |
| Chicken pox | Pneumococcal infections |
| Cholera | Poliomyelitis |
| Diphtheria | Rabies |
| Group A, C meningococcal infections | Rotavirus |
| Hib infections | Rubella |
| Hepatitis A | Shingles |
| Hepatitis B | Smallpox |
| Japanese encephalitis | Tetanus |
| Influenza | Tuberculosis |
| Measles | Typhoid fever |
| Mumps | Varicella |
Source: Kalorama Information