Il vaccine for syncytial virus in the elderly offers two-year coverage. The new data on the experimentation of the drug is now in the third phase, the final one. The trials evaluated the effectiveness of a single dose of the vaccine in adults 60 years of age and older. Experts point out that the vaccine is effective for two seasons even in adults who also have other diseases or are particularly elderly.
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There is also the vaccine for expectant mothers
The attention of the world media has been all for this disease when it affects children. In recent days, the Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to a vaccine to be injected to expectant mothers in the last trimester of pregnancy. This drug protects young children, who are most at risk.
Syncytial virus vaccine in the elderly: one dose is sufficient every two viral seasons
The researchers analyzed data from about 25,000 people from 17 different countries. The first results were published in New England Journal of Medicine in February 2023.
The experimentation also verified the periodicity of the revaccination. Studies have shown that 12 months after the first vaccination there is no further benefit for the general population.
What are the side effects?
The vaccine was generally well tolerated. The most common side effects were:
injection site pain, fatigue, myalgia, headache, arthralgia.
These symptoms are usually mild to moderate and transient.
Syncytial virus vaccine in the elderly
“Our goal is to provide a high level of protection for older adults most at risk of RSV. These data show the efficacy of a single dose of our vaccine over two RSV seasons against RSV-LRTD, even in populations most at risk due to age or underlying medical conditions. This reinforces our confidence in its potential to have a significant impact on public health. We look forward to discussing these findings with regulators and vaccine recommending bodies and gathering more data from the ongoing clinical development program.” Tony Wood is Chief Scientific Officer of GSK, the pharmaceutical company that developed the vaccine.
The vaccine received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration on May 3. Instead, the green light from the European Medicines Agency arrived the following month. Regulatory reviews are underway in Japan and other countries.