Positive Trial Results for Older Adult RSV Vaccine

Global biopharmaceutical company GSK plc recently announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the marketing authorization application (MAA) for its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) older adult vaccine candidate. In October, the company had already announced positive pivotal phase three trial results for the vaccine candidate in adults aged 60 years and older.

The trial data, presented at IDWeek 2022, showed overall vaccine efficacy against RSV-lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in adults aged 60 years and above at 82.6%, with a favorable safety profile. Consistent high vaccine efficacy was observed against LRTD in severe disease (94.1%), adults aged 70–79 years (93.8%), and in adults with underlying comorbidities (94.6%). High vaccine efficacy was found to be consistent across RSV A and B strains.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. CDC surveillance has shown an increase this fall in RSV detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in multiple U.S. regions, with some regions nearing seasonal peak levels.

There are several steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of RSV spread in your facility. Check out RSV Cleaning and Prevention and Defend Your Facility Against Respiratory Virus for more information.