GSK’s experimental herpes vaccine fails to meet main goal in trial

British drugmaker GSK said on Wednesday its experimental herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine candidate failed to meet the main goal of a mid-stage trial and would not be taken forward to a late-stage trial.

The study will continue for routine safety monitoring and to generate follow-up data that could offer valuable insights into recurrent genital herpes, GSK said.

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection caused by HSV-1 and HSV-2 viruses.

“Given the unmet medical need and burden associated with genital herpes, innovation in this area is still needed,” GSK said.

An estimated 683 million people aged 15 to 49 are living with HSV-2 or genital HSV-1 infection, GSK said in its latest annual report.

GSK’s HSV vaccine candidate contained HSV antigens complemented with an adjuvant, designed to stimulate immune responses in people already infected with HSV.