A new RSV drug designed to protect young children was 93% effective at preventing hospitalization for the viral disease, a new study reports. Furthermore, the drug was 89% effective at preventing all types of doctor visits for RSV, which is short for "respiratory syncytial virus."
The new research, published Monday (Dec. 9) in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, focused on nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a drug approved in 2023. The medicine, which is given as an injection, uses lab-made antibodies to block RSV from getting into cells. Unlike a vaccine, nirsevimab doesn't teach the body to make its own antibodies; rather, it provides a ready-made supply.
