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Shingrix approved in Japan for adults 18 and over
Shingrix approved in Japan for adults 18 and over.
About this update from Gsk Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\nIssued: 26 June 2023, London UK\n \nJapan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approves Shingrix for the prevention of shingles in at-risk adults aged 18 and over\n \n· Approval expands the number of people who can be protected against shingles, now including all adults considered at increased risk by their healthcare provider\n· Shingrix (Recombinant Zoster Vaccine - RZV) is already approved in Japan for adults aged 50 and over\n \n \n \n\nGSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved an updated indication for Shingrix (Recombinant Zoster Vaccine, Adjuvanted - RZV) for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) in adults aged 18 years and over who are at increased risk of the condition.[1],[2]\n \nRZV, a non-live, recombinant sub-unit adjuvanted vaccine, was first approved in 2018 by the Japanese MHLW for shingles prevention in adults aged 50 years and over. This week's approval represents a significant expansion of RZV's availability in Japan, now including all adults aged 18 and over considered to be at increased risk of shingles by their healthcare provider.\n \nNearly all older adults have VZV dormant in their nervous system, waiting to reactivate with advancing age.2,[3],[4] As people age, the strength of the immune system response to infection decreases, increasing the risk of developing shingles.1,2,4,13 People with a suppressed or compromised immune system, are also at high risk of shingles.[5],4 It is estimated that about 600,000 people in Japan develop shingles every year.[6]\n \nThe MHLW approval was granted based on data from six clinical trials involving adults aged 18 years and over who were among those at increased risk for shingles, including those who had undergone recent stem cell transplantation or kidney transplant, or who had blood cancer, solid tumours or HIV.5,[7],[8],[9],[10],[11],[12]\n \nAbout shingles\nShingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) - the same virus that causes chickenpox.1\n \nGlobally, most people over the age of 50 have dormant VZV in their nervous system and are at risk of developing shingles.2,[13] Shingles typically presents as a rash, with painful blisters across the chest,...