Pharmacy Daily | First RSV vaccine approved for 60-plus

AUSTRALIA'S first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine was approved yesterday.

The TGA approved GSK's Arexvy (respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, adjuvanted) for active immunisation of individuals 60 years and older for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV across the country.

GSK stated that RSV is a contagious respiratory virus that mainly affects children, however, RSV can also cause serious illness, and in rare cases, even death in the elderly.

Older adults with certain chronic medical conditions, including asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure, have a greater risk of hospitalisation from RSV compared with those without the condition.

"Until now, RSV did not have a vaccine or specific treatment for older adults; this is a real turning point in our effort to reduce the impact of the disease," said Prof Booy, Infectious Diseases Expert, University of Sydney Clinical School & Children's Hospital at Westmead.

Dr Alan Paul, Executive Country Medical Director, GSK Australia, acknowledged the availability of the vaccine was due to collaboration across academia, industry, and research centres, said, "I am excited to see this innovation now become available for older adults in Australia, including those with underlying health conditions, who carry a substantial burden of disease with RSV infection".

The TGA approval was based on GSK's positive pivotal Adult Respiratory Syncytial Virus phase III clinical trial, and comes ahead of the 2024 winter season when RSV infection typically peaks.