Long-term Protection Against Herpes Zoster by the Adjuvanted Recombinant Zoster Vaccine: Interim Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety Results up to 10 Years After Initial Vaccination

Lay Summary What is the context? Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a vaccine-preventable disease with potentially debilitating complications that greatly decrease quality of life. Shingrix is a vaccine indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster in adults aged 50 years or older and those 18 years or older who are at a higher risk of getting shingles. Published data shows that Shingrix offers a high level of protection against herpes zoster for up to eight years after vaccination. What is new? Here we present the long-term protection and safety after vaccination with Shingrix in adults 50 years of age or older, up to 10 years after vaccination. Immune responses and the level of protection induced by Shingrix remain high, and the safety profile of Shingrix remains clinically acceptable. What is the impact? Two doses of Shingrix offer sustained protection against herpes zoster in adults aged 50 years or older, with a clinically acceptable safety profile in the long term. Approximately 10 years after vaccination with the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), an interim analysis of this follow-up study of the ZOE-50/70 trials demonstrated that efficacy against herpes zoster remained high. Moreover, the safety profile remained clinically acceptable, suggesting that the clinical benefit of the RZV in >= 50-year-olds is sustained up to 10 years.