(Bloomberg) -- GSK Plc’s RSV vaccine has been approved for wider use in adults in Europe in a boost for the UK company’s blockbuster shot.
The European Commission recommended GSK’s Arexvy for adults aged 50 to 59 who are at increased risk of respiratory illness. The shot is already cleared in Europe for 60-year-olds and over.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is common but sometimes deadly, especially in the very young and the elderly. GSK said Thursday that an estimated 20 million adults between 50 and 59 years have a medical condition, such as asthma, heart failure and diabetes, that could increase their risk of RSV.
Shares of GSK rose slightly in early London trading. The stock is up 19% in the past 12 months.
The decision in Europe comes after GSK suffered a setback in the US when health officials there recommended a more restricted use of the vaccination in older people — a move that likely reduces the size of that key market.
GSK has also lost out to rival Pfizer Inc. on a contract to supply millions of doses of the vaccine to its home country. The two companies have been locked in a fierce rivalry over take-up of their RSV shots.
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