Sanofi plans to supply 600,000 doses of Beyfortus to protect babies from bronchiolitis in 2024-2025, twice as many as last season.
- The Sanofi group will supply 600,000 doses of its preventive treatment against bronchiolitis, Beyfortus, to meet the needs of the next winter season.
- This treatment shows “an estimated real-life effectiveness of between 76% and 81% for infants admitted to intensive care,” indicates SPF.
- Last year, it prevented around 5,800 infant hospitalizations.
The pharmaceutical group Sanofi has announced that it will supply 600,000 doses of Beyfortus, its preventive treatment against bronchiolitis, to meet the needs of the 2024-2025 winter season. According to information provided by the group, the distribution campaign in maternity wards will take place from September 15 in mainland France, and the treatment will be available in pharmacies, for injection by a doctor from August 26.
Around 5,800 hospitalizations avoided thanks to Beyfortus
Tested last winter, Beyfortus helped prevent a significant number of hospitalizations among infants, according to two complementary studies conducted in collaboration by the Pasteur Institute and Public Health France (SPF).The results of these two studies agree on the positive impact of nirsevimab on the bronchiolitis epidemic, with a significant reduction in the number of hospitalized infants and an estimated real-life treatment efficacy of between 76% and 81% for infants admitted to intensive care, indicates SPF in a statement. Furthermore, the administration of nirsevimab prevented approximately 5,800 hospitalizations for bronchiolitis after visiting the emergency room between September 15, 2023 and January 31, 2024 in mainland France.”
VRS: Abrysvo vaccine also protects infants
On June 13, the French High Authority for Health (HAS) approved another vaccine to protect babies from the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that causes bronchiolitis: Pfizer’s Abrysvo. This vaccine is intended for pregnant women from the eighth month of pregnancy.With the arrival of this vaccine, parents could have the choice – from September – between two possibilities to protect their infant against infections caused by RSV.”, specifies the HAS.
Every year, nearly 30% of children under two years old have bronchiolitis, which is caused in three-quarters of cases by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). While the disease remains benign in the majority of cases, with spontaneous recovery of the infant within 5 to 10 days, it sometimes presents severe forms that may require emergency hospitalization.
