NEJM: Latest Research & Medical Advances

A bivalent vaccine targeting the prefusion F protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) demonstrated significant efficacy in preventing hospitalization among older adults, according to data published ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings build on earlier research indicating the potential of RSV vaccines to mitigate severe illness in this vulnerable population.

The vaccine, known as RSVpreF, was evaluated in an ongoing, international, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Initial results, published in February 2023, indicated a lack of currently licensed vaccines against RSV infection, setting the stage for the recent findings. The latest data focuses on the vaccine’s ability to prevent hospitalization due to RSV.

Separate research, published in December 2023, also in the New England Journal of Medicine, detailed the efficacy and safety of an mRNA-based RSV preF vaccine in older adults. That study contributed to the growing body of evidence supporting vaccination strategies for RSV infection. Trials of other RSV vaccines have also reported similar findings, according to the December publication.

Recent updates on vaccine effectiveness, published in October 2025, included a case-control study examining vaccines against the KP.2 subvariant of COVID-19, reporting 68% effectiveness (95% CI, 42 to 82). This research was published alongside data on RSV and influenza vaccines, highlighting the ongoing focus on respiratory virus prevention.

Maternal RSV vaccination is also being studied for its potential to protect infants, as noted in the October 2025 report. The August 30, 2025 publication in the New England Journal of Medicine specifically details the RSV prefusion F protein–based vaccine (RSVpreF) and its potential for preventing hospitalization.