Sanofi-AstraZeneca Beyfortus gets unanimous US CDC Advisory Committee recommendation to prevent RSV in neonates, infants

The Committee has also voted unanimously 10 to 0 to recommend routine use of Beyfortus for children aged 8 to 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season.

Additionally, the ACIP has voted unanimously 11 to 0 to include Beyfortus in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Beyfortus will be available in the U.S. ahead of the upcoming 2023-2024 RSV season.

Thomas Triomphe, Executive Vice President, Vaccines, Sanofi, “We have turned the corner on the threat of RSV to our youngest, most vulnerable population. The ACIP’s unanimous recommendations for routine use of Beyfortus and inclusion in the Vaccines for Children program are critical steps toward providing millions of parents in the U.S. with the ability to protect their babies through their first RSV season, when they are most susceptible to severe RSV disease. We appreciate the FDA and CDC leadership, as well as the ACIP public health experts, for recognizing and quickly acting on the threat RSV poses to all infants.”

Dr Regena Spratling, PhD, RN, APRN, CPNP-PC, FAANP, FAAN, President, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, “As front-line providers managing the physical and emotional toll of RSV on our patients and their families, especially during the surges of the last two years, our community of pediatric-focused nurse practitioners welcomes the recent approval of nirsevimab. Today’s ACIP vote to include nirsevimab in routine immunization schedules, along with continued efforts to educate the public about the impact of RSV prevention, will help ensure equitable access to this immunization and help alleviate the strain RSV disease places on babies, families, and health care systems.”

"The provisional ACIP recommendations will be forwarded to the director of the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for review and approval. The official recommendations will be published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Once approved, routine use of Beyfortus would be included in the CDC’s Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule," the release stated.