Live attenuated zoster vaccine is available as two products: Zostavax for the prevention of shingles in immunocompetent people over the age of 50, and Varivax for the prevention of chickenpox... While the two vaccines contain the same immunological components and provide protection against the same virus, Zostavax contains a higher dose and is used in older adults to prevent the development of shingles and post-herpetic...
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Zostavax provides protection against Herpes Zoster reactivation by eliciting an immune response to Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV).
Varivax provides protection against chickenpox by eliciting both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to varicella-zoster virus.
- Primary indication
- Zostavax vaccine is indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in immunocompetent adults aged 50 years and older.Curator reviewed · 3 structured indications
- First approval
- Canada, 1998 · United States, 1995 · European Union, 2021
- Also known as
- Chickenpox vaccine · Human herpesvirus 3 live (attenuated) antigen · Varicella vaccine · Varicella virus vaccine live (oka-merck) strain · Varicella zoster live (attenuated) antigen
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of November 18, 2025
Which other approved drugs treat the same conditions as Varicella zoster vaccine (live/attenuated), and which companies have late-stage candidates in those indications?
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