Pfizer RSV vaccine protects older adults over two seasons

Pfizer‘s vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus maintained protection for older adults across two full seasons of the disease in an ongoing late-stage clinical trial, the corporate announced Thursday.

The shot’s efficacy declined barely compared with the degrees of protection after one RSV season, but the brand new data suggests that the jab generally offers durable protection for adults ages 60 and above, who’re more vulnerable to severe illness from RSV. The launch of Pfizer’s vaccine, often known as Abrysvo, and one other RSV shot from GlaxoSmithKline last 12 months proved to be a boon for each corporations, with the jabs accounting for lots of of thousands and thousands in only half a 12 months available on the market. 

A single dose of Pfizer’s vaccine was 77.8% effective against more severe lower respiratory tract illness with three or more symptoms through a second season, down from the 88.9% efficacy following the tip of 1 season. Those symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, rapid and shallow respiratory, and mucus production.

The shot was roughly 55.7% effective against a less severe type of that condition with two or more symptoms after the tip of season two, in line with the initial data on greater than 37,000 participants within the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The jab showed 66.7% efficacy against that condition after one RSV season. 

Pfizer noted that the vaccine showed consistent efficacy against RSV A and RSV B, that are the 2 major subtypes of the virus, after the second RSV season. The shot was specifically 80% or simpler against each type in patients with the more severe type of lower respiratory tract illness.

No latest adversarial events were reported by patients after the 2 seasons.

The outcomes come ahead of a gathering of an advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, which is able to consider whether seniors should take RSV shots annually or every other 12 months.

Analysts don’t expect the committee to make a final advice until June – a choice that will have huge implications for Moderna, which is hoping to launch its own RSV jab this 12 months. 

Jefferies analyst Michael Yee said in a note last week that the firm sees a 50% to 70% likelihood that the panel will recommend annual vaccination, which might put Moderna able to realize “not less than equivalent market share” to Pfizer and GSK. A biennial advice based on data on GSK’s shot across two seasons would “reduce competitive positioning” for Moderna, he noted. 

In older adults, GSK’s shot showed a cumulative efficacy of 67.2% against lower respiratory tract illness over two RSV seasons. That is compared with 82.6% after one season of the virus. 

GSK’s vaccine booked around £1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) in sales last 12 months. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s shot, which can also be approved for expectant moms who can pass on protection to their children, recorded about $890 million in revenue in 2023. 

RSV kills 6,000 to 10,000 older adults and hospitalizes 60,000 to 160,000 of them every 12 months, in line with the CDC. 

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