Affiliation:
1. Centre for Vaccinology, Ghent University & Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
Abstract
This review highlights the characteristics of a candidate herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine (HZ/su, GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines) that consists of 50 μg recombinant glycoprotein E (gE) of varicella zoster virus adjuvanted with AS01B. It is well tolerated and shows a clinically acceptable tolerability profile. It strongly enhances pre-existing gE-specific CD4+ T-cell and anti-gE antibody responses in older adults and immunocompromised persons. Administration of two doses 2 months apart reduces the risk of HZ by 97.2% in adults ≥50 years. This effect does not diminish with increasing age. Long-term persistence of its efficacy still needs to be determined. This candidate HZ vaccine may become an alternative for the high-dose live-attenuated varicella zoster virus vaccine for the prevention of HZ in older persons and in immunocompromised patients in whom the use of live-attenuated vaccines is contraindicated.