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First potential immunization against RSV for healthy infants found highly effective in phase 3 trial

Single dose of nirsevimab protected infants across the entire RSV season

Date:
March 3, 2022
Source:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Summary:
Nirsevimab showed 74.5 percent efficacy against medically attended lower respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in healthy infants, according to an international, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial. It is the first potential immunization against RSV in the general infant population, with a single dose providing safe protection across the entire RSV season.
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Nirsevimab showed 74.5 percent efficacy against medically attended lower respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in healthy infants, according to an international, randomised, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial. It is the first potential immunization against RSV in the general infant population, with a single dose providing safe protection across the entire RSV season. Results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"These exciting data show that nirsevimab has the potential to offer RSV protection for all infants, which would be a paradigm shift in the approach to this disease," said site Principal Investigator and co-author William Muller, MD, PhD, Scientific Director of Clinical and Community Trials at Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

RSV is a common, contagious virus that causes seasonal epidemics of lower respiratory tract infections, leading to bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants. It is also a leading cause of hospitalizations in all infants.

The trial involved healthy term and late preterm (gestational age ?35 weeks) infants entering their first RSV season. Lurie Children's was among the highest enrolling US sites in the trial.

Nirsevimab is an investigational long-acting monoclonal antibody, being developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi, designed to protect all infants through their first RSV season with a single dose. Monoclonal antibodies do not require the activation of the immune system to help offer rapid and direct protection against disease.

Currently, the only available preventative option for RSV is palivizumab, which is limited to high-risk infants and provides one-month protection, requiring five injections to cover an RSV season.

A separate Phase 2/3 trial, also published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which evaluated the safety of nirsevimab in infants with congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease and prematurity entering their first RSV season, demonstrated that nirsevimab had a similar safety and tolerability profile compared to palivizumab.Results in this population of infants indicated similar protection against RSV to that in the healthy term and late preterm infants.

"We know that RSV has seen a resurgence with the easing of COVID-19 public health measures. This shows us a broad immunization approach is needed to help mitigate the substantial global burden RSV places on infants, their families and healthcare services," said Dr. Muller.

Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is conducted through the Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute. The Manne Research Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children's is ranked as one of the nation's top children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. It is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Laura L. Hammitt, Ron Dagan, Yuan Yuan, Manuel Baca Cots, Miroslava Bosheva, Shabir A. Madhi, William J. Muller, Heather J. Zar, Dennis Brooks, Amy Grenham, Ulrika Wählby Hamrén, Vaishali S. Mankad, Pin Ren, Therese Takas, Michael E. Abram, Amanda Leach, M. Pamela Griffin, Tonya Villafana. Nirsevimab for Prevention of RSV in Healthy Late-Preterm and Term Infants. New England Journal of Medicine, 2022; 386 (9): 837 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2110275

Cite This Page:

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "First potential immunization against RSV for healthy infants found highly effective in phase 3 trial." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 March 2022. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303095654.htm>.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. (2022, March 3). First potential immunization against RSV for healthy infants found highly effective in phase 3 trial. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 1, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303095654.htm
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "First potential immunization against RSV for healthy infants found highly effective in phase 3 trial." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303095654.htm (accessed December 1, 2024).

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