Recombinant shingles vaccine available mid-year, says GSK
But there'll be a wait before it's even considered for subsidy under the NIP
The recombinant herpes zoster vaccine Shingrix, which has been approved but not yet marketed in Australia, could be available to elderly patients within months.
Australian Doctor has confirmed with the sponsor GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that the highly-effective, adjuvanted subunit vaccine is set for the private market from mid-year, at a cost of $450-$550 for the two-dose course.
And the company plans another application for National Immunisation Program (NIP) listing in older adults as early as next year, following the PBAC rejection of an application in 2018, largely on cost-effectiveness grounds.
A GSK spokesperson said a return to the PBAC was slated for 2022 or 2023 to seek NIP listing that could start in 2024.
