- First RSV candidate to show effectiveness in older adults
- Regulatory submissions expected in the second half
- RSV market expected to grow fast
Global healthcare company GSK (GSK) announced positive late stage trial results for its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate for treating patients 60 years of age and above.
This is the first RSV vaccine candidate to show statistically significant and clinically meaningful effectiveness in older adults and the company anticipates engaging with regulators immediately to obtain approval.
Hal Barron, chief scientific officer at GSK, commented: ‘These data suggest our RSV vaccine candidate offers exceptional protection for older adults from serious consequences of RSV infection.
‘RSV remains one of the few major infectious diseases without a vaccine, and these data have the potential to meaningfully impact the treatment of RSV and may reduce the 360,000 hospitalisations and more than 24,000 deaths worldwide each year.’
Investment bank Berenberg said:
‘This strong efficacy result reinforces GSK’s leading position in the race to secure a stake in circa £5 billion older-adult RSV vaccine market.’
The news was received positively with shares in GSK gaining 1.2% to £17.30, leaving them up around 8% year to date.
OLDER AGE GROUPS AT RISK
Respiratory syncytial virus is a common contagious virus which attacks the lungs and breathing passages. Older patients with pre-existing medical conditions are particularly at risk.
RSV can exacerbate conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure which can lead to pneumonia, hospitalisation, and death.
The AReSVi 006 phase III trial to demonstrate the effectiveness of the drug was conducted across multiple countries and enrolled around 25,000 patients.
RACE FOR APPROVAL
Although GSK’s RSV vaccine candidate is the first to show strong efficacy and safety in older adults, US rival Pfizer (PFE:NYSE) isn’t far behind and is due to report results of its own phase III trial for a RSV candidate soon.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ:NYSE) started its own phase III trial in September 2021.
The value of the market for RSV vaccines is expected to grow in double digit percentages over the next few years to reach multi-billion dollars’ worth of annual sales according to research consultancy Persistent Market Research.
