Shingrix (zoster vaccine recombinant adjuvanted) / GSK, Japan Vaccine - LARVOL DELTA

Herpes Zoster Vaccine Uptake Among United States Adults With Rheumatic Disease: A Mixed-Methods Analysis. (PubMed, ACR Open Rheumatol) - "RZV uptake among adults with rheumatic disease has gradually increased, and opportunities to improve HZ prevention exist, some of which may be addressed through targeted educational efforts."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Rheumatology • Varicella Zoster

Engineering lipid nanoparticle-stabilized emulsions for spatiotemporal mRNA delivery and enhanced T cell immunity. (PubMed, Cell Rep Med) - "This targeted delivery induces durable interferon (IFN)-γ+ and interleukin (IL)-2+ T cell responses lasting up to 300 days and expands the T cell repertoire in mice compared to the AS01-adjuvanted Shingrix vaccine. Furthermore, LSE elicits potent protective and therapeutic effects against B16-OVA and LLC-NY-ESO1 inoculation in mice. These results indicate the potential of spatially controlled mRNA delivery for enhanced mRNA vaccinations."

Journal • Oncology • CTAG1B

DAN-ZOSTER: Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccine for Prevention of Cardiovascular Events and Dementia (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=162000 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: Tor Biering-Sørensen

Adverse events • New P4 trial • Alzheimer's Disease • Cardiovascular • CNS Disorders • Cognitive Disorders • Dementia • Herpes Zoster • Varicella Zoster

Safety and Immunogenicity of CVI-VZV-001 in Adults Aged 50 Years and Above (clinicaltrials.gov) - P2 | N=135 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: CHA Vaccine Institute Co., Ltd.

New P2 trial • Herpes Zoster • Varicella Zoster

Comparative analysis of the impact of chickenpox and herpes zoster vaccination in Belgium under two different exogenous boosting mechanisms. (PubMed, PLoS One) - "Both models predicted that universal CP vaccination would result in significant reductions in the burden of CP disease, however, the HZ disease burden impact varied significantly depending on the assumed boosting mechanism. Hence, the choice of modeled exogenous boosting mechanism leads to different optimal vaccination strategies. Ascertaining the relative accuracy of these structural model choices will require continued research on the mechanism of VZV boosting."

Clinical • Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Varicella Zoster

Blistering Eruption on the Subcontinent: The Looming Public Health Threat of Herpes Zoster, 'Shingles' in India and the Urgent need for Vaccination. (PubMed, Indian J Community Med) - "Despite the global recommendation of zoster vaccines-Zostavax and Shingrix-for individuals above 50 years of age, India has yet to incorporate them into its national immunization program. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive community-based studies, and public awareness initiatives to drive vaccine uptake. Future advancements in vaccine technology and policy shifts will play a key role in determining the feasibility of large-scale implementation in India, ultimately improving health outcomes and quality of life for millions."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Neuralgia • Pain • Varicella Zoster

Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) confers persistent immune responses with no safety concerns 4 to 8 years after vaccination of adults with renal transplant (UKKW 2026) - P3 | "At 4–8 years after RZV vaccination, HI and CMI responses remained at stable levels above pre-vaccination. No safety signals were identified during the long-term follow-up after RZV vaccination."

Clinical • Antibody-mediated Rejection • Herpes Zoster • Transplantation • Varicella Zoster • CD40LG • IFNG • IL2

SURVEY BY THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES WORKING PARTY OF EBMT ON THE USE OF RECOMBINANT HERPES ZOSTER VACCINE AFTER AUTOLOGOUS AND ALLOGENEIC HAEMOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION (EBMT 2026) - "The recombinant HZ vaccine (RZV, Shingrix®) was shown to be safe and effective in a randomized observer-blind, phase-III trial in adults after autologous HSCT (auto-HSCT)(Bastidas et al, JAMA 2019)... This survey shows that most transplant centres that responded have incorporated RZV into their vaccination schedules after HSCT. Despite the paucity of data, more responding centres use RZV after allo-HSCT (68.2%) than after auto-HSCT (60.6%).In auto-HSCT, most centres started the vaccination either 3-6 months or 6-12 months post-transplant, while in the phase III study RZV was administered 50-70 days post-transplant. Interestingly, most centres continue prophylaxis regardless of vaccinationIn allo-HSCT, most centres started RZV based on time after HSCT, alone or together with other factors, mostly the absence of chronic GvHD and/or immunosuppressive treatment."

Bone Marrow Transplantation • Chronic Graft versus Host Disease • Graft versus Host Disease • Herpes Zoster • Immunology • Infectious Disease • Transplantation • Varicella Zoster

SURVEY BY THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES WORKING PARTY OF EBMT ON THE USE OF RECOMBINANT HERPES ZOSTER VACCINE AFTER AUTOLOGOUS AND ALLOGENEIC HAEMOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION (EBMT 2026) - "The recombinant HZ vaccine (RZV, Shingrix®) was shown to be safe and effective in a randomized observer-blind, phase-III trial in adults after autologous HSCT (auto-HSCT)(Bastidas et al, JAMA 2019)... This survey shows that most transplant centres that responded have incorporated RZV into their vaccination schedules after HSCT. Despite the paucity of data, more responding centres use RZV after allo-HSCT (68.2%) than after auto-HSCT (60.6%).In auto-HSCT, most centres started the vaccination either 3-6 months or 6-12 months post-transplant, while in the phase III study RZV was administered 50-70 days post-transplant. Interestingly, most centres continue prophylaxis regardless of vaccinationIn allo-HSCT, most centres started RZV based on time after HSCT, alone or together with other factors, mostly the absence of chronic GvHD and/or immunosuppressive treatment."

Bone Marrow Transplantation • Chronic Graft versus Host Disease • Graft versus Host Disease • Herpes Zoster • Immunology • Infectious Disease • Transplantation • Varicella Zoster

Letter to the Editor: Impact of shingles vaccine tolerability on initiation and completion of the two-dose series in adults 50 years and older. (PubMed, Vaccine) - No abstract available

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Varicella Zoster

Immunogenicity and safety of an investigational varicella zoster vaccine in toddlers aged 12-15 months: results of a phase II, controlled, randomized trial. (PubMed, Vaccine) - P2 | "These results show that the VNS vaccine was immunogenic with an acceptable safety profile following a single dose of all three potencies. Clinical trial registration number:NCT05084508."

Journal • P2 data • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Inflammation • Measles • Mumps • Pediatrics • Pneumococcal Infections • Rubella • Varicella Zoster

Summary of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Statement: Updated recommendations on herpes zoster vaccination for adults who are immunocompromised. (PubMed, Can Commun Dis Rep) - "In 2018, the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix®) was strongly recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) for immunocompetent adults aged 50 years and older...Expanding access to RZV may reduce disease burden and address inequities in vaccine access. NACI updated its guidance to strongly recommend that individuals 18 years of age and older who are or will be immunocompromised should receive two doses of RZV to prevent HZ and its associated complications."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Varicella Zoster

IMUNO-RZV: Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Patients With Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Under Immunomodulators (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=200 | Recruiting | Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital | Not yet recruiting ➔ Recruiting

Enrollment open • Herpes Zoster • Immunology • Psoriatic Arthritis • Rheumatology • Varicella Zoster

A modular nanoparticle display strategy for varicella-zoster virus gE based on a licensed protein scaffold. (PubMed, PLoS Pathog) - "Nano-gEVZV demonstrates enhanced antigen uptake by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), improved lymph node retention, and stronger B- and T-cell responses compared with Shingrix in mouse models. While RZV remains the gold standard for herpes zoster prevention, we explored a nanoparticle-based gE display platform as a complementary approach to improve manufacturability and immune presentation."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Inflammation • Varicella Zoster

DAN-ZOSTER: A Pragmatic Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccine on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and Dementia in Adults Aged 65 Years or Above (clinicaltrialsregister.eu) - P4 | N=162000 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: Gentofte Hospital, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals

Adverse events • New P4 trial • Alzheimer's Disease • Cardiovascular • CNS Disorders • Dementia • Herpes Zoster • Varicella Zoster

Cost Effectiveness of the Adjuvanted Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Older Adults in Portugal. (PubMed, Pharmacoecon Open) - "RZV presents a cost-effective option for the prevention of HZ and its complications in Portuguese adults aged ≥ 65 years, with greater cost effectiveness in those aged 65-69 years."

HEOR • Journal • Herpes Zoster • Neuralgia • Pain • Varicella Zoster

ZEST: Zoster Vaccine to Enhance Protection Against Zoster in Solid-organ Transplantation (clinicaltrials.gov) - P2 | N=75 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: Oriol Manuel

New P2 trial • Herpes Zoster • Solid Organ Transplantation • Transplantation

Herpes Zoster Induced by the Shingrix Vaccine: A Case Report and Literature Review. (PubMed, Cureus) - "A 10-day course of the antiviral acyclovir was initiated. The diagnosis of HZ is largely clinical, and therefore vaccine-induced HZ should be suspected when no other cause can be identified. While further studies into vaccine components or patient risk factors that may trigger HZ infection after vaccination are necessary to reduce the development of HZ in the post-vaccination period, the benefits of vaccination still outweigh the risk."

Journal • Dermatology • Fatigue • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Neuralgia • Pain • Varicella Zoster

Herpes zoster after recombinant herpes zoster vaccination - Immediate post-RHZ-vaccination evolution of CMI, HMI and lymphocyte count and typing. (clinicaltrialsregister.eu) - P4 | N=10 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: Centre hospitalier universitaire de Liege

New P4 trial • Herpes Zoster • Varicella Zoster

300889: A phase IV trial of Shingrix on incident dementia diagnosis in adults aged ?76 years in Finland (clinicaltrialsregister.eu) - P4 | N=35000 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals

New P4 trial • Alzheimer's Disease • CNS Disorders • Dementia • Herpes Zoster

Effectiveness of Adult Zoster Vaccination in Preventing a First Episode of Zoster Keratitis: A Large-Scale Database Study. (PubMed, Ocul Surf) - "This study supports the potential role of Shingrix in preventing herpes zoster keratitis."

Journal • Conjunctivitis • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Influenza • Keratitis • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology • Respiratory Diseases • Varicella Zoster

Towards personalized vaccine repurposing for Alzheimer's prevention: genotype-specific protective association of the shingles vaccine with odds of Alzheimer's disease in participants of two large cohort studies. (PubMed, BMC Neurol) - No abstract available

Journal • Alzheimer's Disease • CNS Disorders • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Varicella Zoster

A self-assembling ferritin nanoparticle-based trivalent vaccine of gB/gE/gH elicits potent immune responses against varicella-zoster virus. (PubMed, Int J Biol Macromol) - "ZOSTAVAX (live attenuated) and Shingrix (protein subunit) are the main vaccines against varicella-zoster virus (VZV). In a head-to-head comparison with Shingrix, this trivalent vaccine elicited robust glycoprotein-specific IgG titers (≥106), high neutralizing antibody levels (FRNT₅₀ > 103), strong B cell responses, and comparable cytokine production by antigen-specific T cells (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α). These findings demonstrate our trivalent nanoparticle vaccine offers a promising alternative to current VZV vaccines, combining broad antigen coverage with a potentially improved safety profile."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Inflammation • Varicella Zoster • IFNG • IL2 • TNFA

Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2023. (PubMed, Commun Dis Intell (2018)) - "However, the availability of the new (non-live) protein-based herpes zoster vaccine (Shingrix) from 1 November 2023 has resulted in increased uptake for the larger eligible cohort...The picture for adult coverage is more mixed, with coverage increasing for 13vPCV, stable for zoster and decreasing for influenza vaccination, though consistently suboptimal across all vaccines. Ongoing monitoring of vaccination coverage, and further exploration of the reasons underpinning these decreases and suboptimal coverage, are needed to inform approaches to address barriers effectively and to increase vaccine uptake and equity of coverage."

Journal • Herpes Zoster • Infectious Disease • Influenza • Meningococcal Infections • Novel Coronavirus Disease • Oncology • Pertussis • Pneumococcal Infections • Respiratory Diseases • Tetanus • Varicella Zoster

Recombinant herpes zoster vaccine in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases in Brazil: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 4, non-inferiority study. (PubMed, Lancet Rheumatol) - P4 | "Recombinant zoster vaccine had an acceptable safety profile in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases who are immunosuppressed, and had no significant effect on short-term disease activity."

Head-to-Head • Journal • P4 data • Herpes Zoster • Immunology • Rheumatology • Varicella Zoster