GSK presents significantly positive outcomes of its vaccine against Shingles

financialexpress.com:

GSK plc on Wednesday announced positive data from the phase III trial which followed participants for up to approximately 11 years following initial vaccination with Shingrix.

According to the company’s statement, the final trial data demonstrate that Shingrix maintains efficacy against shingles for more than a decade in adults over 50.

The data was presented at ESCMID Global (European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) 2024, formerly known as ECCMID in Barcelona, Spain (27–30 April 2024).

“These findings, demonstrating efficacy and protection against shingles over an extensive 11-year period, provide reassurance for both doctors and patients. Given that ageing adults are at a higher risk of complications from shingles, we hope that these findings instil confidence in policymakers to include shingles vaccination in public immunisation plans for adults,” Dr Rashmi Hegde, Executive Vice President – Medical Affairs, GSK India, said in a statement.

Globally, shingles will affect up to 1 in 3 people in their lifetimes. A variety of factors can increase the risk of developing shingles, including advancing age and immunodeficiency or immunosuppression, as well as other chronic conditions such as COPD, diabetes mellitus, and asthma.

Shingles typically presents as a rash, with painful blisters across the chest, abdomen or face, with the pain often described as aching, burning, stabbing or shock-like. Following the rash, up to 30 percent of people experience post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a long-lasting nerve pain that can last weeks or months and can occasionally persist for several years.

Shingles is also associated with significant healthcare and human cost, with 57 percent of people with shingles