230,000 Additional RSV Passive Immunizations for Infants Coming in 2024

The U.S. government today announced that Sanofi and AstraZeneca will make available 230,000 additional doses of a new passive immunization that prevents lower respiratory tract infections in infants caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Announcement on December 14, 2023, the additional doses of Beyfortus™ (Nirsevimab-alip) are scheduled for delivery in January 2024.

Beyfortus, an extended half-life monoclonal antibody, was approved by the U.S. FDA in July 2023.

This new allocation is in addition to the 77,000 Beyfortus doses released to the U.S. in November 2023.

Sanofi had previously confirmed that demand for this product, especially for the 100 mg doses, had been higher than anticipated.

In clinical trials, a single injection reduced the chances of severe RSV infection by 74.5%.

RSV disease can be prevented either by giving antibody products to infants and young children or by giving their mothers RSV vaccine during pregnancy, says the U.S. CDC.

According to a Johns Hopkins news article published in July 2023, monoclonal antibodies work by providing immediate and short-term protection, whereas vaccines “boost your immunity in the future.

David Dowdy, MD, professor in Epidemiology, explained that your immune system can’t “learn” anything from an antibody. The drug is “basically to protect during a time of life when people are most vulnerable.”

The protection that Beyfortus provides is called “passive immunity” because it does not come from the person’s immune system.