British firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of Shingrix (Zoster Vaccine Recombinant, Adjuvanted) in India, for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) and post-herpetic neuralgia in adults aged 50 years and above.

Shingrix is the world’s first non-live, recombinant subunit vaccine to be given intramuscularly in two doses. Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.

A seroprevalence study in Indian subjects showed that by the age of 40 years more than 90% had this virus in their body and were vulnerable to shingles. Shingles causes a painful rash. In all cases, the rash disappears, but in a large number of cases, the pain persists for months or years. This pain is known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Shingrix was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of shingles in adults 50 years of age or older in 2017.The European Commission gave Shingrix approval for the prevention of shingles in adults 50 years of age or older in 2018.