RSV vaccine Beyfortus lands in Big 5 Hospitals in Korea

Completed landing at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Severance Hospital, and Asan Medical Center, etc.

Started being supplied to clinics in February... SK Bioscience is in charge of its distribution

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) preventive antibody injection ‘Beyfortus’ has landed in the Big 5 tertiary hospitals in Korea.

 

According to industry sources, Sanofi Korea's Beyfortus (nirsevimab) has passed the drug committees (DCs) of the Big 5 tertiary hospitals in Korea, including Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital.

 

In addition, the drug has also landed at medical institutions such as Gangnam Severance Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Bundang Severance Hospital, and Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital.

 

Also, Beyfortus vaccination has begun at local clinics since February.

 

SK Bioscience is in charge of Beyfortus’s promotional activities for medical institutions at the clinic level.

 

Beyfortus is an RSV preventive antibody injection that received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in May last year and can be administered to all newborns and infants who are entering their first RSV season.

 

Also, children up to 24 months of age who remain at risk of severe RSV disease through their second RSV season may receive Beyfortus.

 

Previously, RSV prevention products for infants and toddlers in Korea were only administered to high-risk infants and toddlers, such as premature babies, who are at high risk of severe RSV disease.

 

However, Beyfortus is different in that it can be administered to all infants and toddlers.

 

According to the Phase III MELODY trial, which was the basis for the approval of Beyfortus, RSV lower respiratory tract infections were reduced by 74.5% in the Beyfortus-administered arm.

 

This study evaluated the efficacy of Beyfortus against RSV infection with medical management up to 150 days after administration in 3,012 infants born after 35 weeks of gestation in their first RSV season.

 

In addition, according to the interim results of the national vaccination program being implemented in Galicia, Spain, real-world evidence of Beyfortus, hospitalizations due to RSV in infants under 6 months of age who received Beyfortus were reduced by 82% compared to infants who did not receive Beyfortus.

 

Ki-Wook Yoon, a Professor at Seoul National University Hospital, said, “RSV can infect people of all ages, but 90% of infants under the age of 2 are infected.

 

When infected, it can lead to mild cold symptoms to hospitalization due to lung infection.

 

Infants whose bronchial tubes are not fully mature can have more severe symptoms when they are infected with RSV, which can cause losses not only for family members but also to the society and economy.” He added, “Until now, RSV prevention was limited to personal hygiene practices, showing a clear unmet demand for RSV.

 

However, we expect that active RSV prevention will become possible with the introduction of the preventive antibody injection.”