US FDA approves world’s first respiratory syncytial virus vaccine

NEW YORK – The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday approved the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Arexvy, for use in the country.

Arexvy, made by pharmaceutical giant GSK, has been approved for people aged 60 and older for the prevention of lower respiratory illness caused by RSV.

RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages in individuals of all age groups, according to the FDA.

“'Today’s approval of the first RSV vaccine is an important public health achievement to prevent a disease that can be life-threatening and reflects the FDA’s continued commitment to facilitating the development of safe and effective vaccines for use in the United States,”' said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research as reported by Anadolu Agency. 

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV leads to approximately 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalisations and 6,000 to 10,000 deaths among adults 65 years of age and older in the US.

The vaccine significantly reduced the risk of developing the disease by 82.6% and was effective against severe disease by 94.1% in a study participated by approximately 12,500 people who received Arexvy. – Bernama, May 4, 2023