GSK Launches Groundbreaking Study on Shingrix and Dementia Risk Reduction

GSK is partnering with the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) to study the potential link between its shingles vaccine Shingrix and reduced dementia risk13.

The study, titled EPI-ZOSTER-110, will analyze electronic health records of approximately 1.4 million people aged 65 and 66 from the UK's National Health Service (NHS)12.

This research builds on previous retrospective observational studies suggesting a possible association between shingles vaccination and lower dementia risk3.

The study takes advantage of a "natural randomization" created by the UK's shingles vaccination program, where 65-year-olds became eligible for Shingrix in September 2023, while 66-year-olds only become eligible at age 7013.

The research project is expected to last four years and aims to account for factors such as age, gender, and pre-existing health conditions23.

A 2024 study published in Nature showed that individuals who received the recombinant shingles vaccine experienced a 17% increase in time without a dementia diagnosis over six years2.

Shingrix generated £3.36 billion ($4.35 billion) in sales for GSK in 2024, and sales are forecasted to exceed $5 billion by 20302.

This collaboration could serve as a blueprint for population-level health data research and reinforce the UK's position as a leading destination for life science R&D3.

Sources:

1. https://www.biospace.com/drug-development/gsk-builds-on-real-world-experiment-to-study-shingrixs-impact-on-dementia

2. https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/gsk-and-uk-researchers-plan-to-study-shingrix-and-dementia-risk-reduction-link/

3. https://www.gsk.com/media/11930/press-release-gsk-hdr-ukdri-collaboration.pdf