Sept 11 (Askume) – British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSKL.L) said on Wednesday its experimental herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine candidate failed to meet a key target in a mid-stage trial and would move on to late-stage testing.
GlaxoSmithKline said the study will continue with regular safety monitoring and follow-up data, which may provide valuable information about recurrent genital herpes.
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the HSV-1 and HSV-2 viruses.
“Given the unmet medical needs and the burden associated with genital herpes, innovation in this area is still needed,” GSK said.
An estimated 683 million people aged 15 to 49 have either HSV-2 or genital HSV-1 infection, GSK said in its latest annual report.
GSK’s HSV vaccine candidate contains HSV antigens and an adjuvant and is designed to stimulate an immune response in people already infected with HSV.
