US drug agency approves world's 1st respiratory syncytial virus vaccine

By Betul Yuruk

NEW YORK (AA) - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday approved the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Arexvy, for use in the country.

Arexvy, made by pharmaceutical giant GSK, has been approved for people aged 60 and older for the prevention of lower respiratory illness caused by RSV.

RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages in individuals of all age groups, according to the FDA.

''Today’s approval of the first RSV vaccine is an important public health achievement to prevent a disease which can be life-threatening and reflects the FDA’s continued commitment to facilitating the development of safe and effective vaccines for use in the United States,'' said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV leads to approximately 60,000-120,000 hospitalizations and 6,000-10,000 deaths among adults 65 years of age and older in the US.

The vaccine significantly reduced the risk of developing the disease by 82.6% and was effective against severe disease by 94.1% in a study participated by approximately 12,500 people who received Arexvy.