On the 24th of September, I was at Aloft KL for the GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (GSK) event for the announcement of their RSV disease vaccine which is called Arexy (MAL24086007ARZ) that has been approved in Malaysia.
Adults aged 60 and over with underlying co-morbidities are at high risk of developing severe infections from RSV.
RSV or Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a common respiratory virus that can lead to serious negative clinical outcomes, such as lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) and pneumonia in older adults especially our parents, older family members or our relatives. This highly contagious virus can put them at risk of severe infections that can cause serious complications, such as Pneumonia, or exacerbation of congestive heart failure (CHF), asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Ruxandra Nastasa, Vice President & General Manager of GSK Malaysia & Brunei, delivering her speech at the launch of GSK's RSV vaccine.
The RSV vaccine, Arexy has been approved for older adults aged 60 and above in the country. This adjuvanted vaccine can transform efforts to reduce RSV’s burden on older adults, the healthcare system and society. The approval is based on positive data from a phase III trial, where the vaccine demonstrated high overall vaccine efficacy of 82.6% against LRTD. 94.6% efficacy was observed against RSV-LRTD in adults with co-morbidities.
Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GSK Malaysia & Brunei, sharing about the newly launched RSV vaccine for older adults.
Vaccine showed 82.6% overall vaccine efficacy against RSV-LRTD with 94.6% efficacy observed in adults with co-morbidities.
Across multiple studies, the vaccine was generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. Some adverse events observed were injection site pain, fatigue, myalgia, and headache. These were typically mild to moderate and lasting within a few days after vaccination.
Whilst, RSV is a disease of all ages, in 2019, the impact of RSV in adults aged 60 years and older is significant, resulting in over 470,000 hospitalisations and 33,000 deaths in high-income countries. RSV symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, tiredness, wheezing, difficulty in breathing and cyanosis. So if you or your family members are experiencing such symptoms for a week or so, it's better to quickly head to the nearest clinic or medical centre for a check-up.
Peter shares his experience of contracting RSV. You watch the video from the link below:
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an altered pattern of seasonal infections due to COVID-19 protection measures. iv Specifically in Malaysia, RSV infections occur all year round, with notable peaks typically occurring between July to August, as well as October to December.
Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) sharing on the RSV disease.
Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) shared: “RSV can lead to severe outcomes especially among older adults with co-morbidities such as Asthma, COPD and chronic heart failure. They also have increased risk of hospitalization following the RSV infection. It is important for us to protect patients aged 60 and above with co-morbidities."
From left: Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GSK Malaysia & Brunei and Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail, Deputy Director & Consultant, Respiratory Physician Hospital Al Sultan Abdullah Universiti Teknologi MARA (HASA UiTM) sharing on the disease and vaccine during the panel discussion at the launch of GSK’s RSV vaccine.
He added,“In Malaysia, according to the 2023 National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS), more than half a million adults live with four co-morbidities. Of these, 15.6% of the adult population have Diabetes. It is time we protect our older adults with underlying health conditions from RSV infection to enable them to lead a good quality of life especially in their golden age. By prioritizing the well-being of older adults, we can collectively foster a healthier and more vibrant society, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all generations.”
Dr. Alap Gandhi, Country Medical Director of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (GSK) Malaysia and Brunei said: “Today’s announcement is a major step forward from a public health perspective as it allows us to deliver an RSV vaccine in Malaysia to protect older adults. We look forward to working with various stakeholders to ensure those at high risk of severe RSV infection can access it.”
The GSK's Arexvy vaccine is now available in clinics and medical centres in Malaysia. At the moment, there are no specific medicine and treatment for this so if you are aged 60 and above, do protect yourself or your older family members from RSV infection.
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