Pfizer is seeking approval for the first ever RSV vaccine for adults
The world's first ever RSV vaccine for adults could soon be available.
Vaccine maker Pfizer said they've asked for the Food and Drug Administration's approval. Researchers say a late-stage trial shows "exciting" promise.
In the trial for adults aged 60 and older, the vaccine reportedly prevented RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness, which includes acute bronchitis and pneumonia.
There were no major safety concerns, with the exception of two cases related to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves.
Pfizer said the vaccine was also effective in late-stage pregnancy, which could extend the protection to newborn infants.
The FDA's vaccine advisers have voted in favor of approving this vaccine, along with a similar one developed by GlaxoSmithKline. The vaccines could become the world's first ever to prevent RSV.
The study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.