palivizumab

Palivizumab

Palivizumab, sold under the brand name Synagis, is a monoclonal antibody produced by recombinant DNA technology used to prevent severe disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. It is recommended for infants at high-risk for RSV due to conditions such as prematurity or other medical problems including heart or lung diseases. The most common side effects include fever and rash. Palivizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody (IgG) directed against an epitope in the A antigenic site of the F protein of RSV. In two phase III clinical trials in the pediatric population, palivizumab reduced the risk of hospitalization due to RSV infection by 55% and 45%. Palivizumab is dosed once a month via intramuscular (IM) injection to be administered throughout the RSV season, which tends to start in late autumn or early winter in temperate climates and follows more complicated seasonal patterns in tropical regions. Palivizumab targets the fusion protein of RSV, inhibiting its entry into the cell and thereby preventing infection. Palivizumab was approved for medical use in 1998.