NPJ Vaccines

Could an adjuvant prevent dementia? AS01 shows promising associations

July 1, 2025

Study details: This retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health records from 436,788 individuals to evaluate whether AS01-adjuvanted vaccines—Shingrix (herpes zoster) and Arexvy (RSV)—are associated with reduced dementia risk. Participants were propensity-score matched and followed for 18 months post-vaccination. The study compared dementia incidence among recipients of these vaccines vs. those who received the influenza vaccine.

Results: Recipients of the RSV vaccine had a 29% lower risk of dementia (restricted mean time lost [RMTL] ratio, 0.71), those who received the shingles vaccine had an 18% reduction (RMTL ratio, 0.82), and individuals who received both vaccines experienced a 37% reduction (RMTL ratio, 0.63). No significant difference was found between the two AS01 vaccines, suggesting the adjuvant itself may be responsible for the observed neuroprotective effect.

Clinical impact: AS01 adjuvant may play a direct role in reducing dementia risk, independent of the vaccine’s target pathogen. This insight opens new avenues for dementia prevention strategies and highlights the potential of adjuvant-based immunomodulation in neurodegenerative disease research.

Source:

Taquet M, et al. (2025, June 25). NPJ Vaccines. Lower risk of dementia with AS01-adjuvanted vaccination against shingles and respiratory syncytial virus infections. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12198376/