Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE)'s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine has moved a step closer to being approved in the United States for older adults after a committee of outside advisers to the US health regulator gave the jab the green light.
The panel voted 7-4 in favour of the new drug, citing data from the company's study which showed the shot was effective and safe in preventing lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in people aged 60 years and older.
GSK PLC (LSE:GSK, NYSE:GSK) will face scrutiny from a panel of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) experts on Wednesday, while other companies such as Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Moderna and Merck are also in the race.
Decision in May
The FDA is expected to make its decision on the vaccines by May, following the recommendations of its independent panel of experts. The RSV vaccine market is estimated to be worth US$5bn to US$10bn.
RSV has symptoms similar to the common cold. It is a highly contagious illness that affects people of all ages but can be especially dangerous for the elderly.
The impact of RSV in adults can range from mild to severe and may include coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, sore throat and a fever.
In some cases, RSV can lead to more serious complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis, which can be life-threatening for older people.
Complications
The risk of severe illness from RSV is higher in this population due to several factors: as people age, their immune systems become weaker, making it harder for them to fight off infections.
Additionally, many of this group may have underlying health conditions that weaken their immune system and make it harder to recover from an illness like RSV.
Estimates put the global number of hospitalisations at 360,000 and deaths at more than 24,000.