GlaxoSmithKline vaccine ‘effectively protects’ against rotavirus

GlaxoSmithKline’s new vaccine against rotaviruses, the virus responsible for severe diarrhoea in children, protects 96 per cent of European children and reduces hospitalisations from the virus by 100 per cent, according to trial data.

The phase III trial, conducted in six European countries, studied the effectiveness of Rotarix, a two-dose oral rotavirus vaccine, for ages ranging from six months to 24 months – the most vulnerable time for children to catch the disease. Glaxo said that rotaviruses are responsible for the hospitalisation of approximately 87,000 babies each year and 700,000 visits to the doctor.

Dr. Timo Vesikari, principal investigator from Univeristy of Tampere, Finland, said: “These data are very encouraging and show that very young infants can be effectively protected against the highly contagious rotavirus with Rotarix.”

“With prevention of all hospitalisations due to RVGE demonstrated in the trial, the inclusion of a vaccination against rotavirus into routine vaccination schedules across Europe would significantly reduce the burden on healthcare resources,” he added.

Rotaviruses can infect adults as well as children. Although rotavirus deaths among children are relatively few in developed western countries, approximately 600,000 die each year from the virus in developing countries.

Earlier this year, the FDA approved Merck’s RotaTeq, another rotavirus vaccine. In 1999 Wyeth withdrew RotaShield, after a study found that one in every 5,000 to 9,500 children vaccinated with the drug developed intussusception, a bowel-constricting disease, according to one study. It was, however, successful in reducing the incidence of rotaviral illnesses.

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