The EU Commission has approved a first vaccine for older people against a widespread pathogen of respiratory infections. The vaccine is designed to protect against diseases caused by respiratory syncytial virus.
A vaccine against the respiratory virus RSV for older adults is making its debut in the European Union. The European Commission has given the green light for the vaccine from the British pharmaceutical company GSK. A month ago, the vaccine had already received approval in the USA for use in people over the age of 60 and thus for the same age group as the EU approval now.
What is RSV?
Respiratory syncytial virus is a worldwide pathogen of respiratory infections. Proteins from the envelope of the RS virus can fuse the cells of the lung tissue. This creates giant cells with multiple nuclei called syncytia, which give the virus its name.
GSK plans to launch the vaccine under the brand name Arexvy ahead of the RSV season, which typically begins in the fall. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a global pathogen that causes acute upper and lower respiratory tract diseases and is one of the main causes of pneumonia in young children and the elderly.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved an RSV vaccine from Pfizer. To date, there has been no approved vaccine to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in older adults. In Europe, RSV accounts for over 270,000 hospitalizations and approximately 20,000 deaths each year in adults aged 60 years and older, according to GSK.