US FDA approves drug to prevent RSV

Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday approved a drug to prevent Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in children aged up to 24 months who remain vulnerable to severe disease.

Developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi, the drug Nirsevimab, sold under the brand name Beyfortus, is a monoclonal antibody that can prevent RSV.

Nirsevimab is administered as a single injection either before or during an infant's first RSV season. Toddlers up to two-years-old who remain vulnerable can also receive the shot during their second RSV season.

"RSV can cause serious disease in infants and some children and results in a large number of emergency department and physician office visits each year," said John Farley, Director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in the FDA's Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement.

"Today's approval addresses the great need for products to help reduce the impact of RSV disease on children, families and the healthcare system," he added.

RSV is a virus that causes acute respiratory infection in individuals of all age groups.