A drug waiting to be reviewed by the FDA could help infants be protected from RSV.
We know who is at risk for developing dangerous complications of an RSV infection, it’s young babies.
Especially those who were born prematurely. While there is a potential vaccine in the pipeline, it’s also possible to shield them with pre-made antibodies.
RSV had a grip on the United States. As cases rose, many pediatric hospitals were overwhelmed.
Thankfully new cases of RSV have fallen off from their peak late last year. But the experience has left a large question mark for managing RSV in the future and that’s where a new drug recently submitted to the FDA for review would have a role.
The drug is called Nirsevimab, it’s a long-acting antibody that could prevent lower respiratory tract infections in infants.
It’s given as a single injection that could protect for at least 150 days or about five months. So ideally it would be given to infants in October to protect them through the highest risk winter virus season.
Newborns born in that high-risk season could be given the injection immediately for protection.
It could also be given a second time to children up to 2-years-old who remain at high risk for severe RSV disease during their second RSV season.
Preventing severe RSV early in life can also prevent lung problems later in life.
Click here to see what the CDC had to say about Nirsevimab in October.