Study shows monoclonal antibody reduces RSV cases in infants by over 80 per cent

A study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal discussed the efficiency of a monoclonal antibody administered in infants to reduce respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases. 

According to WHO, each year RSV causes over 3.6 million hospitalisations and about 100,000 deaths in children under 5 years of age. Most paediatric RSV deaths (97 per cent) occur in low- and middle-income countries where there is limited access to supportive medical care.

The antibody 'nirsevimab' was injected in infants and the findings projected the efficiency in reducing  RSV-related hospitalisations by 83 per cent and intensive care admissions by 81 per cent in infants. 

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalisation.

What is a monoclonal antibody?

As per Mayo Clinic, monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced molecules engineered to serve as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance, modify or mimic the immune system's attack on cells that aren't wanted. 

Nirsevimab was approved in 2023 by regulatory agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency after the lab-created antibody was found to be safe and effective in clinical trials.

As a part of the study, researchers analysed 27 previously published studies that were conducted during the RSV seasons of 2023-2024 across five countries -- France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and the US. The team mainly focussed on infants aged under 12 months.

"Nirsevimab is highly effective in preventing RSV-related outcomes in infants, with a pooled real-world effectiveness of 83 per cent against hospitalisation, 81 per cent against ICU admission, and 75 per cent against LRTI (lower respiratory tract infections)," the authors mentioned.

The lab-created antibody was also found to be more effective among infants aged over three months compared to those aged under three months. The study noted that nirsevimab is not a vaccine despite being delivered as an injection.

" Our findings indicate that the benefits of nirsevimab observed in clinical trials are also evident in real-world settings, effectively reducing the burden of RSV disease in infants and, consequently, healthcare use," mentioned the study. 

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