A groundbreaking study reveals that an injection could potentially reduce hospital admissions for babies and young children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by 80%. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study included 8,058 healthy infants aged up to 12 months from the UK, France, and Germany entering their first RSV season.
Among them, 4,037 infants received the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, while 4,021 infants received standard care. The research showed that infants who received the jab had only 0.3% hospitalization, compared to 1.5% with standard care. This demonstrated an efficacy of 83.2%, reducing hospital admission from six per 1,000 to one per 1,000 in previously healthy infants.
The trial, funded by Sanofi and AstraZeneca, showcased the potential of nirsevimab in preventing severe RSV cases. RSV, a common chest infection affecting babies, leads to complications such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. In England, it’s a major cause of infant hospitalization, affecting nearly 31,000 children annually, with 20 to 30 infant deaths attributed to RSV each year in the UK alone.
While nirsevimab gained approval in the UK in November 2022, its incorporation into immunization programs is pending. Professor Calum Semple from the University of Liverpool praised the trial results, emphasizing their significance in combating RSV’s impact on infant health.
Dr. Simon Drysdale, a co-study leader and consultant paediatrician, highlighted the potential NHS impact and safety of the monoclonal antibody injection in addressing the winter burden caused by RSV.
