GSK PLC (LSE:GSK, NYSE:GSK) has hailed as ‘truly exceptional’ the results from a phase III clinical trial of its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine in people over 60.
RSV causes cold-like symptoms, which while mostly mild, can affect older adults more acutely, sometimes resulting in hospitalisation.
GSK said the vaccine candidate showed a 94.1% reduction in severe RSV disease and overall vaccine efficacy of 82.6% in the pivotal trial.
Additionally, researchers observed ‘consistent, high’ efficacy in three groups: Those with the severe form of the disease, the 70-79 age grouping, and people with other underlying conditions.
"These are truly exceptional results given that today RSV remains one of the major infectious diseases without a vaccine, despite over 60 years of research,” said Tony Wood, GSK’s chief medical officer in a statement.
“We believe that with the high vaccine efficacy demonstrated in this pivotal trial, our vaccine candidate has the potential to help reduce the significant global burden of RSV-associated disease in older adults, including those at the greatest risk of severe outcomes due to their age or underlying comorbidities," he added.