RSV Antibody Cuts Hospitalizations in Infants
A new study delivers encouraging news: the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab slashes bronchiolitis hospitalizations in infants. This pivotal finding, stemming from research across Europe, showcases nirsevimab’s power as a preventative measure against RSV. The study revealed a dramatic decrease in hospital admissions for infants, especially those under six months old, following administration of the single-dose antibody. Further analysis, as shown from the research from Catalonia, Spain, indicates the treatment substantially improves outcomes.This marks a crucial step, as bronchiolitis is a common and sometimes severe illness in young children. News Directory 3 is following this study. Are larger, global trials the next chapter?
Monoclonal Antibody Nirsevimab Halves Bronchiolitis Hospitalizations
Updated June 3, 2025
A recent study indicates that a single dose of the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab can significantly reduce hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in infants. The research, coordinated by Dr. Danilo Buonsenso at the Catholic University of the sacred Heart, Rome Campus, analyzed the impact of the drug in several European countries.
The monoclonal antibody, designed to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, has already received European approval for protecting infants during their first RSV season. The study compared regions where nirsevimab was introduced (Catalonia, Spain) with areas in the United Kingdom and Rome, Italy, where it was not yet in use.
Bronchiolitis, a common acute viral infection, primarily affects children under one year old, especially between November and March. RSV is the culprit in about three out of four cases, perhaps leading to respiratory failure, especially in infants under six months. Other viruses, including metapneumovirus and rhinovirus, can also cause the infection, which spreads through direct contact with infected secretions.
Data from 68 hospitals in Catalonia and five hospitals in the UK and Italy revealed that hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in Catalan children under six months nearly halved compared to previous seasons. Emergency room admissions for the same age group also saw a notable decrease. Conversely, regions where nirsevimab wasn’t administered showed no critically important reduction.
The study,published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe,found the drug’s effect less pronounced in older infants (6-23 months),suggesting it is most effective in the first few months of life. The authors call for larger, international studies to evaluate the economic feasibility of widespread nirsevimab implementation.
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Buonsenso explains, “Now, for the first time, a real-world study has analyzed the concrete impact of nirsevimab by comparing European countries with different health policies: Catalonia (Spain), where the drug was introduced in 2023-2024, and some areas of the UK and Rome (Italy), where it had not yet been adopted.”
What’s next
Future research will focus on larger, internationally coordinated studies to assess the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of widespread nirsevimab use in preventing bronchiolitis and reducing hospitalizations.