KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (GSK) today announced the launch of the Herpes Zoster (HZ) vaccine, Shingrix, also known as Recombinant Zoster Vaccine, Adjuvanted (RZV) in Malaysia for the prevention of shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).
GSK Malaysia Country Medical Director Dr Alap Gandhi said RZV has been designed to prevent the shingles in adults aged above 50 and for those patients 18 years and above who are immunosuppressed.
“Shingles is a disease that can cause excruciating pain and is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. In some cases, people can also develop PHN a long-lasting nerve pain following shingles.
“The RZV, administered as two doses intramuscular injection, two to six month apart. Such as other vaccination, the Shingrix reactions were mild to moderate in intensity and transient, which will generally last with a median duration of two to three days,” he said in his speech during the RZV’s launch here, today.
He said that the RZV is recommended by Guideline for Adult Immunisation by Malaysia Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy.
“In an analysis of the pivotal efficacy studies, ZOE-50, RZV demonstrated vaccine efficacy of up to 97 per cent in adults aged 50 years and above, over a follow-up period of approximately three years.
“Recent interim data demonstrated overall vaccine efficacy of RZV of greater than 80 per cent over the primary follow-up period approximately six to 10 years after initial vaccination in people 50 years and over,” he added.
Dr Alap said GSK is pleased that people in Malaysia will now have access to the RZV vaccine to help reduce the burden of shingles disease.
“RZV is an approved non-live adjuvanted shingles vaccine and may help overcome the natural age-related decline in immunity that contributes to the challenge of protecting adults aged 50 and over from this disease,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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