Drug Database
VA

Varicella zoster vaccine (V210 / Varivax / Varivax ISF)

✓ Approved

Merck & Co. · Vaccine · Vaccine

What is Varicella zoster vaccine?

Varicella zoster vaccine is a vaccine developed by Merck & Co.. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intramuscular (im) injection or subcutaneous injection.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesV210, Varivax, Varivax ISF
CompanyMerck & Co.
Drug ClassVaccine, Large Molecules
RouteInjectable (Others), Intramuscular (IM) Injection, Subcutaneous Injection
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Merck & Co.

Therapeutic Indications

Varicella zoster vaccine is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Infections and infestationsVaricella zoster virus infection✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedCells2026-10-16

Antiviral Activity of an Ethanolic Extract of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamaldehyde Against the Herpesviruses HSV-1 and VZV.

Alaasam Baraa B, Alnabari Yomna Y, Huleihel Mahmoud M

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are clinically important alphaherpesviruses that establish lifelong latent infections and remain significant causes of morbidity despite the availability of antiviral drugs. The emergence of drug resistance and the inability of current therapies to eliminate latent virus reservoirs underscore the need for novel antiviral agents with alternative mechanisms of action. In the present study, we evaluated the antiviral activity of an ethanolic extract prepared from commercial cinnamon bark marketed as Cinnamomum cassia and cinnamaldehyde, a well-known constituent of cinnamon tested here as a purified compound, against HSV-1 and VZV in vitro. Antiviral activity was assessed using plaque reduction assays, time-of-addition experiments, and quantitative real-time PCR for viral DNA accumulation and specific viral immediate-early transcript levels. Both the C. cassia extract and cinnamaldehyde inhibited HSV-1 and VZV replication in a dose-dependent manner while exhibiting relatively low cytotoxicity. Nonlinear dose-response analysis yielded IC50 values of 3.44 and 2.80 µg/mL for the C. cassia extract against HSV-1 and VZV, respectively, and 0.961 and 1.50 µg/mL for cinnamaldehyde. Time-of-addition experiments demonstrated that antiviral activity was greatest when treatment was maintained throughout infection or initiated after viral entry, whereas pretreatment of cells or direct incubation with virus particles produced minimal effects. Both agents markedly reduced intracellular production of infectious progeny viruses and decreased viral DNA accumulation and the abundance of the specific immediate-early transcripts examined. These findings support a predominantly post-entry antiviral effect of both materials, rather than a primary effect on viral attachment or direct virion inactivation. Collectively, these results support further investigation of these agents as promising natural inhibitors of HSV and VZV infections.

PMID 42882527
Read full article →
PubMedJournal of clinical medicine2026-10-16

Clinical and Somatosensory Correlates of Persistent Zoster-Associated Pain at One Month: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Özsezen Eda E, Aslancan Bahadır B, Karakoyun Ömer Ö, Ecer Nur N et al.

Background/Objectives: Persistent pain after acute herpes zoster (HZ) carries substantial functional burden, but early markers of pain persistence remain uncertain. In an exploratory analysis, we examined whether baseline clinical features and a simple affected-to-contralateral pressure-pain threshold (PPT) ratio were associated with persistent zoster-associated pain approximately one month after rash onset. Methods: In this prospective multicenter observational cohort, 117 adults with acute HZ (mean age 58.7 ± 14.7 years, 60.7% women, 18.8% with diabetes mellitus, 16.2% immunosuppressed, 58.1% thoracic dermatome) were assessed 1-7 days after rash onset with clinical variables, the Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire, bedside sensory examination and standardized pressure algometry. Two equally reported outcome definitions were applied at follow-up: average and worst 24 h numerical rating scale (NRS) pain ≥ 3. Firth penalized logistic regression was used, with bootstrap internal validation that repeated the predictor-selection step within each resample. Results: Of 117 participants, 109 (93.2%) completed follow-up at a mean of 29.8 ± 3.3 days. Average 24 h NRS ≥ 3 occurred in 25/109 (22.9%) and worst 24 h NRS ≥ 3 in 42/109 (38.5%). Under the average-pain definition, age per 10 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-2.59), baseline NRS per point (OR 1.43, 1.11-2.06) and PPT ratio per 0.1 increase (OR 0.69, 0.50-0.92) were associated with the outcome; under the worst-pain definition only baseline NRS remained associated (OR 1.18, 1.02-1.39), with attenuation of both age (OR 1.34, 0.98-1.86) and PPT ratio (OR 0.86, 0.68-1.08). Apparent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were 0.863 and 0.740, respectively; the optimism-corrected AUC for the average-pain model was 0.831. The PPT ratio was strongly correlated with bedside allodynia (Spearman ρ = -0.82). Conclusions: PPT asymmetry was associated with one-month pain persistence under one of two outcome definitions but overlapped substantially with clinically assessed allodynia. These exploratory associations require prespecified confirmation before any clinical application.

PMID 42881957
Read full article →
PubMedInternational journal of molecular sciences2026-10-16

Immune Profiles Elicited by Different HBV Vaccine Modalities and Their Associations with Serological and Intrahepatic Viral Outcomes.

Xiao Huiying H, He Jinhang J, Zhu Lili L, Wang Songmei S et al.

Therapeutic vaccination for chronic hepatitis B aims to restore HBV-specific T-cell immunity and contribute to a functional cure. We systematically compared the immune profiles and antiviral efficacy of four vaccine modalities: recombinant HBsAg (rHBsAg), antigen-antibody immune complex (IC), a DNA vaccine encoding HBsAg (DNA-HBsAg), and an HBsAg-Fc fusion DNA vaccine (DNA-HBsAg-Fc). In naïve mice, the rHBsAg vaccine predominantly induced anti-HBs IgG responses, whereas the IC vaccine elicited strong anti-HBs IgG and detectable CD4+ T-cell responses. In contrast, DNA vaccines preferentially induced HBsAg-specific CD8+ T-cell immunity, which was further enhanced by fusion to the Fc fragment of human IgG1. In the pre-immunization/AAV-HBV model, high anti-HBs titers in rHBsAg and IC groups were associated with rapid clearance of circulating HBsAg but not with comparable reductions in HBcAg+ hepatocytes, whereas stronger HBsAg-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in the DNA vaccine groups were associated with greater reductions in HBcAg+ hepatocytes. However, in the therapeutic AAV-HBV model, all vaccine monotherapies showed limited and non-sustained antiviral efficacy, with only transient reductions in serum HBsAg and limited reductions in HBcAg+ hepatocytes. These findings highlight the distinct immune profiles of different vaccine platforms and an association between stronger HBsAg-specific CD8+ T-cell responses and reduced intrahepatic HBcAg expression, while underscoring the limited efficacy of vaccine monotherapy in the AAV-HBV model.

PMID 42883747
Read full article →
PubMedMilitary medicine2026-10-16

The Case for Dedicated Vaccine Communication Training: A Survey of Military Pediatricians.

Auvil Daley D, Jones Katherine K, Ratusnik Rebecca R, Adams Daniel J DJ

Vaccine uncertainty is rising among families in the United States, even among military families. The ACGME mandates that pediatric residents be trained in effective communication strategies for patients and families hesitant about recommended vaccinations, yet few validated curriculum tools exist. We aimed to understand the current landscape of vaccine uncertainty experienced by military general pediatricians and see what communication strategies were routinely being implemented in clinical practice. In March 2025, 45 graduates of a mid-sized military pediatrics residency program from the years 2016-2024 who were currently practicing general pediatricians were invited to participate in a survey on vaccine communication in clinical practice. The survey was a mix of quantitative questions asking for experienced trends in vaccine uncertainty as well as open-ended questions about communication strategies being implemented. Three clinical researchers performed a manual thematic analysis of free-text answers to understand and quantify common themes. Thirty-seven general pediatricians (82%) responded, and 95% of those surveyed rated a curriculum during medical training on vaccine communication as "very" or "extremely important." Only 19% of physicians were able to recall formal training in addressing vaccine hesitancy during medical school, and only 62% during residency. The 3 most commonly declined vaccines were COVID-19, influenza, and HPV. Pediatricians reported using communication strategies focused on knowledge-sharing (65%), partnership with families (62%), and normalizing vaccines (40%). Common barriers to vaccine acceptance were mistrust and disinterest, most commonly with unwillingness to engage in a conversation. Most practicing military pediatricians who graduated from our residency program report a rise in vaccine uncertainty in their practice and agree that a residency curriculum on vaccine communication is highly important. Such curricula should encourage evidence-based communication styles using vaccine normalization while de-emphasizing the urge to combat misinformation using knowledge-sharing and should specifically address the most commonly declined immunizations.

PMID 42885154
Read full article →
PubMedNature communications2026-10-16

Klebsiella-dominant gut communities are associated with impeded oral rotavirus vaccine response in infants.

Seymour Cale O CO, Ecklu-Mensah Gertrude G, Lee Yesun Y, Nicols Alexander R AR et al.

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is the leading cause of infant diarrheal death worldwide. Oral rotavirus vaccine (RVV) prevents illness and death, but efficacy differs between high- and low-income countries and the etiologies are unclear. Here, we describe the relationship between colonization of the infant gut by commensal bacteria, inflammation, and vaccine response across a cohort of infants from Panama, Peru, and the U.S. Vaccine immunogenicity was related to community composition in the first month of life and inverse to increased relative abundance of Klebsiella. Clustering communities into gut types revealed that microbiome configurations with elevated Klebsiella or Escherichia in the first month of life were negatively associated with both seroconversion and rotavirus shedding after vaccination, suggesting potential inhibition of vaccine function or host response. Infants without RVV strain shedding displayed elevated fecal calprotectin in the first month. These results implicate microbiome-augmented infant gut inflammation as a potential impediment to RVV response.

PMID 42881193
Read full article →
PubMedInternational journal of molecular sciences2026-10-16

Closing the Gap: Advances and Barriers on Candida Vaccines Development in the Last Decade.

Krier Julie J, Allkja Jontana J, Viana da Costa Alexandra Mónica Bastos AMB, Silva Francisco A M FAM et al.

Invasive Candidiasis (IC) remains a critical threat to global health. Primarily caused by Candida albicans, it is increasingly driven by emerging Non-Candida albicans Candida Species (NCACs). IC typically arises from the overgrowth of commensal Candida species in immunocompromised hosts. IC accounts for an estimated 250,000-700,000 cases annually worldwide, with mortality rates between 40 and 55%, and contributes to more than 1.5 million annual deaths. Despite progress in healthcare systems, intensive care, and microbiological techniques, mortality rates remain largely unchanged. Triazole resistance is already widespread, and echinocandin resistance, while still low, is steadily climbing. The emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida auris, the growing immunocompromised population, and the absence of any antifungal vaccine collectively define this scenario as a therapeutic impasse. Given these challenges, there is an urgent need to synthesize current vaccine research to identify robust candidates and address lingering translational bottlenecks. This structured narrative review evaluates the advances and barriers in Candida spp. vaccine development over the past decade (2015-2025), structured around epidemiology and resistance; immunological framework underpinning vaccine design; antigenic targets and delivery platforms; and preclinical and clinical evidence. Key milestones included the Phase II clinical validation of NDV-3A, the first successful large-scale human trial of a fungal vaccine; the standardization of the A/J mouse model for C. auris; the emergence of multi-epitope computational platforms with >94% HLA population coverage; and cross-kingdom protection paradigms. Major obstacles included commensal-to-pathogen duality of Candida, immunocompromised host paradox, antigenic plasticity, and chronic underinvestment. Converging next-generation vaccine strategies are beginning to bridge the gap between bench discovery and clinical implementation.

PMID 42883739
Read full article →

+9996 more articles available with a free account

Sign up free to view all articles →

Ask about Varicella zoster vaccine