Global pharma giant GSK has revealed new real-world effectiveness data for its adjuvanted recombinant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. 

 

The data, presented at RSVVW’26, the 9th Conference of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Foundation (ReSViNET) in Rome, highlights its RSV  vaccine cuts hospitalizations in older adults.

 

A U.S. retrospective cohort study of over 2.5 million adults aged 60 and older evaluated the vaccine’s ability to prevent RSV-related hospitalizations. Among 520,440 vaccinated individuals matched 1:4 with unvaccinated peers, the vaccine showed a striking 75.6% effectiveness against RSV-related hospitalization over a median follow-up of 5.6 months.

 

Beyond hospitalizations, exploratory analyses revealed the vaccine was associated with a 63.1% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including heart attack and stroke, and showed 74.4% and 61.6% effectiveness against severe COPD and asthma flare-ups, respectively, during RSV-related hospitalization.

 

A separate nationwide study in Denmark among COPD patients aged 60 and older found the vaccine completely prevented RSV-related hospitalizations, with 100% observed effectiveness.

 

While observational studies cannot prove causation, these findings add to a growing body of evidence linking RSV vaccination with reductions in cardiovascular and respiratory complications. The vaccine is indicated for the prevention of RSV-lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD).

 

“In the real-world data being presented at RSVVW’26, it is observed that RSV vaccination could help reduce the risk of certain serious RSV-related outcomes, potentially including major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, as well as severe flare-ups of COPD and asthma,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, Director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital. 

 

“These new data are a significant step in our understanding of how to help prevent such RSV-related health outcomes. I look forward to more data investigating this association further.”

 

Christian Felter, GSK Global Medical Lead, RSV, added: “These data underscore the value of our RSV vaccine in its observed association with helping to prevent RSV-related hospitalisation and reducing the risk of acute events of certain chronic conditions associated with this potentially serious disease."