WHO Recommends Maternal Shot and Antibody Therapy to Prevent RSV in Infants

(Reuters) – The World Health Organization on Tuesday recommended maternal vaccination and the use of an antibody therapy to prevent respiratory synctial virus (RSV) in infants.

The recommendations, to administer both the shot and the antibody or either, come after the WHO’s strategic advisory group on immunization met last week.

For countries that decide to use a maternal vaccine, WHO said it recommends a single shot in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Drugmaker Pfizer’s shot is approved in the United States for use in women during the middle of the third trimester of pregnancy to protect their babies.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Sanofi and AstraZeneca’s antibody therapy, Beyfortus, to prevent RSV in infants and toddlers.

The manufacturers received approval for an additional manufacturing line in September for the therapy, as its supply was limited.

WHO’s strategic advisory group also noted the concerns around supply as well as the high cost of the antibody therapy, which it said could seriously limit global access and equity for the treatment.

RSV typically causes cold-like symptoms, but is also a leading cause of pneumonia in toddlers and older adults.

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)