Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is one of the most common causes of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways of the lung) and pneumonia in babies and young children, often requiring hospital treatment.
After two decades of research at The Kids Research Institute Australia, we are very excited that the Federal Government will be including the RSV immunisation for free for all babies as part of the National Immunisation Program in 2025.
This outcome has been made possible by the families who have given up their time to be involved in our RSV studies over the years and we are incredibly grateful for their support.
Read the media release online here.
RSV Protect Study
The RSV Protect study investigated a new medication to assess whether it can offer longer-lasting protection against RSV than the current version named Palivizumab.
Palivizumab requires monthly injections over five months, whereas the new RSV medication,Clesrovimab, is designed to provide protection for the entire RSV season with just a single dose. The study was conducted internationally, with many recruitment sites across the globe.
We had two healthy pre-term babies take part in the RSV Protect Study over two RSV winter seasons, including the gorgeous Ruby pictured below. Study procedures have now been completed and we are very grateful to our two special babies and their mums for their invaluable contributions to this important trial.
The trial sponsor has confirmed that Clesrovimab has achieved the study objectives by demonstrating reduced RSV-associated hospitalisations and RSV-associated lower respiratory infection hospitalizations by more than 84 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively, throughout 5 months.
Clesrovimab has the potential to become the first and only approved immunization designed to protect infants with a single dose for the entire duration of their first RSV season. We are thrilled by this outcome and very pleased to have contributed to such valuable research.