RSV is usually mild in older children and adults, but can be dangerous for young babies, causing serious breathing problems or pneumonia. Globally, it is one of the leading causes of infant mortality. The Dutch data now provide clear, real-world confirmation of the effect of early prevention.

According to RIVM, the number of infants admitted to intensive care with RSV infections dropped from 178 last season to 43 this season (around a 75% reduction) even while the virus is still circulating.  This translates into fewer severely ill infants and a substantial reduction in pressure on care capacity. For the first time in years, the usual autumn and winter RSV peak did not result in high pressure on paediatric Intensive Care Units.

The reason this positive effect is only shown now in the Netherlands, after already having proven its benefit in other countries for two consecutive RSV seasons, is because the Dutch Health Council (Gezondheidsraad) only formally advised to incorporated this preventive shot into the national vaccination program last September, following earlier delays related to funding.

What the article doesn’t mention is that the technology underlying nirsevimab originates from Amsterdam UMC research and the antibody was initially developed by our portfolio company RSouth. The rights to further develop the antibody into an RSV shot was licensed by RSouth to AstraZeneca who further developed it and brought it to the market in a partnership with Sanofi.

A great example of academic research translating into worldwide health impact.

Read the full news article (in Dutch) on the NOS website: https://nos.nl/artikel/2602666-fors-minder-baby-s-op-ic-dankzij-rs-prik-concludeert-rivm