Sanofi: Rabies vaccine launched in United Kingdom – 04/05/2024 at 2:24 pm.

(CercleFinance.com) – Sanofi announced on Friday in the United Kingdom that its anti-rabies vaccine, VeroRap, can be administered pre- and post-exposure to people of all ages.

Rabies – a viral disease that is almost always fatal after the onset of clinical symptoms – is today predominantly present in Asia and Africa, the two continents accounting for more than 95% of the 59,000 human deaths recorded each year.

Although cases of rabies in the United Kingdom are extremely rare, the last being a century ago, the VeroRab was designed for British people traveling abroad.

“I am always amazed by the number of British travelers I meet who are unaware of the risk of rabies,” said travel nurse Joanna Lowry, quoted in the press release.

Clinical data collected from more than 13,000 individuals showed that all patients bitten by infected animals and given a five-dose regimen of verorabine were alive three years after post-exposure prophylaxis.

Since its introduction in France in 1985, between 41 and 70 million people have received the vaccine.