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Updated: Feb 2, 2026
Generation and Assembly of Virus-Specific Nucleocapsids of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Published on: July 27, 2021
Respiratory syncytial virus vaccine: where are we now and what comes next?
Asif Noor1, Leonard R Krilov1,2
1a Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center , NYU Winthrop Hospital , Mineola , NY , USA.
Insights
Developing a safe and effective vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a major cause of infant and elderly respiratory infections, has been a long-standing challenge. Current advancements in vaccine technology offer promising new avenues for RSV vaccine discovery.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and the elderly.
- Despite its significant public health impact, no safe and effective vaccine against RSV is currently available.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of the historical development of RSV vaccines.
- To highlight current advancements in RSV vaccine technology and identify promising candidates.
- To discuss the structural biology and immune response relevant to RSV vaccine design.
Main Methods:
- Literature search using PubMed and Medline databases.
- Review of historical RSV vaccine development efforts.
- Analysis of current RSV vaccine candidates and technologies.
Main Results:
- The review traces over 50 years of RSV vaccine research, from early setbacks to modern innovations.
- Key aspects of RSV structural biology and protective immune responses are discussed.
- Emerging fusion glycoprotein targets and ongoing vaccine candidates are presented.
Conclusions:
- Renewed interest in RSV, driven by understanding its burden and molecular mechanisms, has accelerated vaccine discovery.
- A diverse pipeline of vaccine candidates targeting various populations brings the goal of a safe and effective RSV vaccine within reach.
Introduction:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and elderly and to date, there is no safe or effective vaccine against RSV.
Areas Covered:
This review provides a roadmap to RSV vaccine development. It is a journey spanning over more than half a century from the initial disappointment with inactivated formalin vaccine to the current advancements in vaccine technology. We highlight the important aspects of RSV structural biology and protective immune response. We include discussion of newer fusion glycoprotein immune targets and current vaccine candidates. We used Pub Med and Medline resources for literature search.
Expert Opinion:
A resurgence of information on the burden related to RSV infection coupled with the newer understanding of the molecular mechanism of RSV infection has reignited a tremendous activity in RSV vaccine discovery. The vaccine pipeline is diverse and target populations are varied, thus making the goal of a safe and effective RSV vaccine in the future within reach.
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