GlaxoSmithKline’s Shingles Vaccine Available in Singapore

Vaccines have been crucial in disease prevention and public health management since the development of the smallpox vaccine in the late 1700s. With the availability of vaccines for many devastating diseases like smallpox, polio, anthrax, tetanus, mumps, public health has improved drastically and human life expectancy is at an all-time high. The success of vaccines in combating the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed interest in vaccine development and accelerated research into vaccine-based solutions for many preventable disorders. 

Leveraging the accelerated and improved vaccine design prompted by the pandemic, Pharma leader, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced a new vaccine for protection against shingles. Shingrix- a non-live, recombinant subunit adjuvanted vaccine against shingles, is now available in Singapore. It is an intramuscular, two-dose vaccine approved for adults 50 years and older, or immune-compromised adults with an increased risk of shingles. The doses are to be administered 2-6 months apart. 

A Painful Disease for the Elderly and Immunosuppressed 

Shingles is a viral infection, caused by the varicella-zoster virus from the same family of viruses that causes chickenpox. Though not life-threatening, it is characterized by painful rashes, blisters and highly sensitive skin. People previously exposed to the chickenpox virus, adults over 50 and patients under immune-suppressive therapies are at risk of developing shingles. Severe infections hinder everyday life, productivity and may cause complications such as post-herpetic neuralgia or nerve pain. 

According to Dr. Ashok Kurup, Infectious Disease Physician at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, “Shingles can be difficult to treat once the symptoms break out, so vaccination can play an important role in helping to reduce the burden of this painful disease.”

In the U.S, an estimated 1 million cases of shingles are reported annually.  Reports show that there is a steady increase in the incidence of cases in the Asia-Pacific region while vaccine-coverage is relatively low. With a rise in the ageing population, there is an increased risk of shingles. 

“We are truly proud to make GSK’s shingles vaccine available in Singapore,” said Priya Kudva Menon, VP and General Manager, GSK Singapore. “We are pleased to be able to support healthy ageing for Singaporeans through our Vaccines portfolio and in particular, to be able to play a part in shingles prevention for the 50+ population, who are at increased risk for the shingles disease.” 

Vaccines in the Post-Covid Era

The U.S. FDA approved the adjuvanted and improved Shingrix in 2021 while a previous version of the vaccine was approved in 2017, which generated approximately $2billion revenue in 2020. Covid-19 disrupted Shingrix sales in 2021, but also brought back focus on adult vaccinations. The improved Shingrix is the first shingles vaccine to combine the non-live antigen with a specifically designed adjuvant to trigger a robust immune response. 

Recently, Pfizer and BioNTech announced an mRNA-based vaccine for shingles which is expected to undergo clinical trials in 2022.  With over 90% efficacy and extended protection up to 5 years, GSK is confident of Shingrix’s performance in the face of competition. The relaunched Shingrix is expected to be available in over 35 countries and lead GSK’s shift from consumer healthcare to vaccines. 

Author

Sahana Shankar