Biopharmaceutical company GSK plc (LSE/NYSE:GSK) on Wednesday announced positive data from the ZOSTER-049 long-term follow-up phase III trial, spanning up to approximately 11 years post-initial vaccination with Shingrix (Recombinant Zoster Vaccine or RZV).

The study revealed that RZV sustained robust efficacy against shingles in individuals aged 50 and above for over a decade. No new safety concerns emerged during the observation period.

Key highlights from ZOSTER-049, an extension of the ZOE-50 and ZOE-70 phase III trials, include: 79.7% vaccine efficacy (VE) among adults aged 50+ from year six to year 11 post-vaccination; 82.0% VE in adults 50+ at year 11, indicating consistent high efficacy post-vaccination; and 73.1% VE among adults aged 70+ from six to 11 years post-vaccination.

Globally, shingles impacts up to one in three individuals throughout their lives, with various risk factors including advancing age and immunodeficiency or immunosuppression, as well as other chronic conditions such as COPD, diabetes mellitus and asthma. Shingles manifests as a painful rash, often accompanied by blisters on the chest, abdomen or face. Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a lingering nerve pain, afflicts up to 30% of people with shingles, leading to significant healthcare costs and work absenteeism.