- A CDC committee recommended a new shingles vaccine, Shingrix, over an older rival, Zostavax.
- The committee recommended that Shingrix should be given routinely to Americans aged over 50 years.
- Shingles is a painful, often debilitating blistering rash that results from reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox.
LONDON (Reuters) – The committee responsible for U.S. vaccination schedules has given a preferential recommendation to GlaxoSmithKline’s newly approved shingles vaccine Shingrix over Merck & Co’s established product Zostavax.
The endorsement, by a narrow 8-7 vote, promises to boost Shingrix sales and confirm its potential as a product with multibillion-dollar sales potential.
The endorsement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) follows evidence from clinical trials that Shingrix is significantly more effective than Zostavax, the only currently available shingles prevention vaccine.
ACIP members also recommended that Shingrix should be given routinely to Americans aged over 50 years, compared with 60 years for Zostavax, and they backed revaccination of people who previously received Zostavax.
GSK’s vaccine is given in two doses, while Zostavax needs only a single dose.
Older adults are most at risk of shingles, a painful, often debilitating blistering rash that results from reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox and remains latent in those who have had that disease.
Shingrix contains a component from Agenus, which is entitled to royalties on future sales.
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