Recombinant Zoster Vaccine Works Well in Older Patients

The live attenuated zoster vaccine currently in use wanes in efficacy with time and also can confer disappointing levels of protection in adults older than 70. Thus, better options for vaccinating this age group are of considerable interest. Last year, a manufacturer-supported study showed that a new two-dose zoster subunit vaccine containing recombinant varicella zoster virus glycoprotein E with a potent adjuvant (HZ/su) performed well in people who were mostly in their 50s and 60s (NEJM JW Infect Dis Jun 2015 and N Engl J Med 2015; 372:2087). Now, the researchers report results of a companion study, in which HZ/su or placebo was administered to nearly 11,000 immunocompetent adults who were 70 to 79 and about 3000 who were 80 or older. No …