Development of adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine and its implications for shingles prevention.

Introduction: GSK has developed a two-dose adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix, RZV) to protect people aged ≥50 years (50+) against herpes zoster (HZ) and its complications. RZV showed >90% efficacy against HZ, sustained over 4 years of follow-up, in all studied age groups.

Areas Covered: This article reviews the scientific rationale underlying the design of RZV; the clinical evidence demonstrating immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy in persons 50+; and the public health implications and cost-effectiveness.

Applying concepts of generalizability theory on data from experimental pain studies to investigate reliability.

This work demonstrates how full modelling power in statistically mixed models can be used to study generalizability (reliability) coefficients of advanced data from human experimental pain studies utilizing placebo data from drug screening trials. This can be used to help optimizing outcome parameters from existing data sets.