GSK’s Arexvy Vaccine For Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Disease

As a caregiver of my aging parents, learning about how to prevent them from contracting illness is crucial. Recently I attended a health talk by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical (GSK) and learnt about GSK Arexvy Vaccine (MAL24086007ARZ) has been approved in Malaysia for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Disease. 

(from left to right) Dr Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GSK Malaysia and Brunei; Ruxandra Nastasa, Vice President & General Manager of GSK Malaysia & Brunei; and Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) at the launch of GSK’s RSV vaccine

What is RSV? RSV is a common contagious virus affecting the lungs and breathing passages. Until now, it was a concerning infectious disease outcomes.Older adults are at high risk for severe disease due to age-related decline in immunity and underlying conditions. RSV can exacerbate conditions, including COPD, asthma, and CHF, and can lead to severe outcomes, such as pneumonia.

The approval is based on positive data from a phase III trial, where the vaccine demonstrated high overall vaccine efficacy of 82.6% against LRTD. 94.6% efficacy was observed against RSV-LRTD in adults with co-morbidities. Across multiple studies, the vaccine was generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile.

(from left to right) Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GSK Malaysia & Brunei and Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) sharing on the disease and vaccine during the panel discussion at the launch of GSK’s RSV vaccine

Some adverse events observed were injection site pain, fatigue, myalgia, and headache. These were typically mild to moderate and lasting within a few days after vaccination. 

Ruxandra Nastasa, Vice President & General Manager of GSK Malaysia & Brunei, delivering her speech at the launch of GSK's RSV vaccine

Whilst, RSV is a disease of all ages, in 2019, 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. Adults with underlying co-morbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes, and chronic heart failure(CHF) are at high risk for severe RSV.

Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) sharing on the RSV disease

Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) shared: “RSV can lead to severe outcomes especially among older adults with co-morbidities such as Asthma, COPD and chronic heart failure. They also have increased risk of hospitalization following the RSV infection. 

It is important for us to protect patients aged 60 and above with co-morbidities. In Malaysia, according to the 2023 National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS), more than half a million adults live with four co-morbidities. vi Of these, 15.6% of the adult population have Diabetes. 

It is time we protect our older adults with underlying health conditions from RSV infection to enable them to lead a good quality of life especially in their golden age. By prioritizing the well-being of older adults, we can collectively foster a healthier and more vibrant society, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all generations.”

Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GSK Malaysia & Brunei, sharing about the newly launched RSV vaccine for older adults

Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (GSK) Malaysia and Brunei said: “Today’s announcement is a major step forward from a public health perspective as it allows us to deliver an RSV vaccine in Malaysia to protect older adults. We look forward to working with various stakeholders to ensure those at high risk of severe RSV infection can access it.”