Glaxosmithkline Share News (GSK)

(Alliance News) - GSK PLC on Wednesday reported positive developments with its shingles vaccine and its potential treatment for chronic hepatitis B, as it secured a presentation approval and announced positive data.

The London-based pharmaceuticals firm said it has secured approval from the European Commission for its shingles vaccine, Shingrix, in a pre-filled syringe.

GSK explained that the current vaccine presentation includes two vials, with the new pre-filled syringe option simplifying the administration process for healthcare professionals.

The company noted that up to one in three adults will develop shingles in their lifetime. It is a disease caused by the reactivation of the same virus causing chickenpox, explained GSK.

GSK said the new presentation will commence rollout across EU countries this year.

"This new presentation of Shingrix has been designed to improve ease of administration, helping healthcare professionals to provide protection against shingles," said GSK Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood.

"Shingles is a painful disease that can have serious and long-lasting complications. It affects millions of people each year in Europe, often imposing a greater burden on people living with common chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. GSK is proud to support the healthcare community by making administration of its shingles vaccine easier."

Also, GSK said its potential first-in-class treatment for chronic hepatitis B, bepirovirsen, saw positive results in its two phase three trials, B-Well 1 and B-Well 2.

The pharmaceutical company said that bepirovirsen demonstrated a "statistically significant" and "clinically meaningful functional cure rate".

GSK noted that chronic hepatitis B accounts for around 56% of liver cancer cases, making it the leading cause of the disease. It affects over 250 million people globally, added GSK.

Shares in GSK were down 0.2% to1,895.00 pence on Wednesday morning in London.

"Bepirovirsen has the potential to transform treatment goals for people living with CHB by achieving significant functional cure rates - a first for the disease" said CSO Wood.

"CHB affects more than 250 million people and leads to approximately 56% of liver cancer cases worldwide. Today's result supports our plans to progress bepirovirsen as a treatment and also continue its development as a backbone in future sequential therapies. We're pleased by this major advance in our expanding hepatology pipeline, aimed to transform outcomes in liver disease."

By Christopher Ward, Alliance News reporter

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