World's first RSV vaccine for older adults now registered for use in NZ

The registration of a new vaccine which took around 50 years to develop, is set to offer older Kiwis protection against RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease for the first time.

RSV is a common and highly contagious respiratory virus, often considered an illness that mainly impacts children and causes cold and flu-like symptoms. However, the disease can also cause serious illness and in some cases, even death, in older adults. Data shows the impact of RSV in adults aged 60 years and older is significant, resulting in over 470,000 hospitalisations and 33,000 deaths in high-income countries.

Older adults with certain chronic medical conditions, including asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure have an elevated risk of being hospitalised from RSV compared with those without these conditions.

Maori, Pacific peoples and those living in lower socioeconomic areas also have a greater risk of hospitalisation from the disease.

Symptoms of RSV in adults are often similar to other acute respiratory infections, like colds or influenza, including a blocked nose, cough, fatigue, fever, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and headache, and a test is needed to confirm a diagnosis.

Arexvy is the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults and has been registered for use in Australia, the UK, the European Union, the US, Canada and Japan. Research shows an estimated 24% of US adults aged 60+ have reported receiving a RSV vaccine.

Trial data shows Arexvy has an overall efficacy of 82.6% against RSV-Lower Respiratory Tract Disease (LRTD).

A 94.6% efficacy was observed against RSV-LRTD in adults aged 60 and over with underlying conditions such as heart disease or diabetes – the population that is associated with the majority of RSV hospitalisations.

Nonetheless, as with other vaccines, the vaccine may not protect all recipients.

The vaccine was granted priority assessment through its NZ registration process to ensure availability ahead of the winter season. A funding application for Arexvy has also been submitted to Pharmac for their assessment.

Brett Marett, GSK NZ medical director, says the NZ registration and consent to distribute is an important step closer to delivering New Zealand’s first vaccine for RSV to help protect adults aged 60+.

“Until now, RSV was one of the major respiratory infectious diseases with no vaccine.

“We welcome the NZ registration which will mean that older adults in New Zealand, including those who are most at risk of developing severe disease from RSV due to underlying health conditions, have the opportunity to receive a vaccine to help protect them for the first time. This is a major step forward from a public health perspective.

“Arexvy has demonstrated high efficacy in clinical trials and we look forward to working with healthcare stakeholders to ensure those at high risk of severe RSV infection can access it,” he says.

Older adults may consult with their healthcare professional for further information on RSV. The Arexvy vaccine will be available for private purchase from GP clinics from 1 May 2024. The most common side effects are injection site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and joint pain.