GSK

Data presented at a meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases in Basel Switzerland, show that Rotarix, an oral rotavirus vaccine, prevented 100% of hospitalizations due to rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis. The product, which is being developed by UK pharmaceutical major GlaxoSmithKline, also prevented 75% of gastroentirital hospitalizations due to any cause.

Rotarix is a simple two-dose, oral vaccine that can be administered to infants as young as six weeks of age, thereby offering early protection against the peak incidence of the disease which affects babies when they are between six and 12 months old. In the UK, 18,000 children are hospitalized with rotaviral-gastroenteritis each year.

The results are from a double-blind, placebo-controlled assessment of the vaccine, which enrolled 3,800 infants at research centers in the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Additionally, the product demonstrated high efficacy in conferring protection against gastroenteritis caused by the most commonly occurring rotavirus serotypes. The company added that the results suggest the product can be used in combination with other childhood vaccines without impairing immune response.