Federal health officials have broadened the approval for a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine to include younger adults who face higher risks from the infection, the pharmaceutical company GSK announced Friday.
The Food and Drug Administration has now authorized the company’s RSV vaccine, called Arexvy, for adults between ages 18 and 49 who have increased vulnerability to severe lower respiratory tract illness from the virus.
Previously, the vaccine had received approval only for Americans 60 and older, along with at-risk individuals between 50 and 59 years of age.
RSV represents a widespread respiratory infection that triggers seasonal illness similar to influenza and stands as a major contributor to pneumonia and fatalities among babies and elderly individuals.
According to GSK, approximately 21 million American adults under 50 possess at least one condition that elevates their risk for serious RSV complications.
The pharmaceutical company will now face competition in the younger adult market from rival vaccines, including Moderna’s mRESVIA and Pfizer’s Abrysvo products.
European health authorities also moved toward broader approval in December, when a European Medicines Agency committee endorsed Arexvy for all adults over 18, setting the stage for expanded availability across Europe.
