Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, approved the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus vaccine.
The vaccine, called Arexvy, is manufactured by British pharmaceutical company GSK, and has been approved for use in individuals aged 60 years and above in the United States. Arexvy is an adjuvanted respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, which means that it has an adjuvant, or an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response to vaccination.
The aim of the vaccine is to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus in older adults, the FDA said in a statement.
The vaccine is planned to be launched in the US before the 2023/2024 respiratory syncytial virus season, the period when outbreaks of the virus tend to occur, and people are at increased risk of severe or life-threatening infections caused by the pathogen. In most regions of the US, respiratory syncytial virus season begins in the fall and peaks during winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Respiratory syncytial virus is a highly contagious respiratory virus that causes symptoms such as cough, sneezing, fever, wheezing, runny nose and a decreased appetite, according to the CDC. It usually takes a week or two for most people to recover from respiratory syncytial virus infection. However, in some cases, the virus can cause severe infection, especially in children and older adults.
