After a particularly rough RSV season in Fall of 2022, the FDA has just approved an RSV antibody, nirsevimab, to protect infants. The Food and Drug Administration approved the injection for infants and children up to two years old who face increased risk of severe RSV.
RSV or respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of hospitalizations for infants under a year old in the United States each year. RSV is a common virus that typically produces cold-like symptoms, but it can be especially dangerous for the very young, elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
Last year, RSV cases filled US hospitals, urgent cares and doctors’ offices from early fall into the winter, with symptoms including wheezing and difficulty breathing. RSV cases in the Fall of 2022 more than doubled the same time the previous year.
Nirsevimab will be sold by AstraZeneca under the brand name Beyfortus. It is a laboratory made version of the antibody that helps the immune system fight off RSV. There is currently no RSV vaccine for children, but several companies are looking into one.
Under the FA approval received today, the RSV antibody will be given by a single injection to babies, including preterm infants, to protect against their first RSV season. Children up to age two can receive another dose during their second RSV season.
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health physicians are available to comment on the upcoming RSV season, and this new treatment means to for some of their most vulnerable patients.
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