CDC expedites release of more doses of infant RSV drug from Sanofi, AstraZeneca amid shortage

CDC expedites release of more doses of infant RSV drug from Sanofi, AstraZeneca amid shortage


A RSV-infected child receives treatment, as RS-Virus infections spread among children at Missio children’s clinic Moenchberg, in Wuerzburg, Germany, December 2, 2022. 

Heiko Becker | Reuters

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expedited the release of more than 77,000 additional doses of a new drug designed to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus amid an ongoing shortage of the treatment in the U.S.

The CDC’s move late Thursday to increase the availability of Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody from Sanofi and AstraZeneca that won approval in August, comes as RSV cases rise in some parts of the country ahead of the holiday season. The drug is one of two available treatments in the U.S. that can protect infants from the virus, which is the leading cause of hospitalization among babies nationwide. 

Sanofi and AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CDC’s announcement.

Hospitals and pediatricians have been struggling to stock Beyfortus due to what Sanofi has described as “unprecedented demand” for the treatment. The shortage – and other issues related to insurance coverage – threatens to prevent infants from receiving critical protection against RSV. 

RSV is a common respiratory infection that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can present as more severe cases in children and older adults.

Each year, the virus kills a few hundred children younger than 5, and 6,000 to 10,000 seniors, according to the CDC. RSV also causes around 58,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old each year, the CDC said.

The CDC said the additional doses will be distributed immediately to physicians and hospitals through commercial channels and the Vaccines for Children Program, which covers the cost of the shots for uninsured and underinsured kids. 

CDC said the agency, along with the Food and Drug Administration, will continue to be in close contact with the drug manufacturers to ensure availability of additional doses through the end of this year and early 2024 to meet demand.

“CDC and FDA are committed to expanding access to this important immunization so that more parents have peace of mind during the winter virus season,” said the CDC’s principal deputy director, Dr. Nirav Shah, in a statement. 

The U.S. started to see a sharp uptick in RSV cases in the middle of October. Nearly 5,000 cases were detected through testing in the U.S. in the week ended Nov. 4, the highest level since last winter, according to the CDC website. 

The U.S. suffered an unusually severe RSV season last year. Cases of the virus in children and older adults overwhelmed hospitals across the country, largely because the public stopped practicing Covid pandemic health measures that had helped to keep the spread of RSV low.



Source

Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs could affect some drugmakers more than others
Health

Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs could affect some drugmakers more than others

Medications are stored on shelves at a pharmacy on May 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Eric Thayer | Getty Images President Donald Trump is slated to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. any day now – and the duties may have a bigger impact on some drugmakers than others, according to some […]

Read More
Merck plans  billion cost cuts by end of 2027, narrows full-year outlook
Health

Merck plans $3 billion cost cuts by end of 2027, narrows full-year outlook

Merck & Co. signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Merck on Tuesday said it will slash $3 billion in costs by the end of 2027 to be fully reinvested to support new product launches […]

Read More
UnitedHealth says 2025 earnings will be worse than expected as high medical costs dog insurers
Health

UnitedHealth says 2025 earnings will be worse than expected as high medical costs dog insurers

UnitedHealthcare signage is displayed on an office building in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 19, 2023. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images UnitedHealth Group on Tuesday issued a 2025 outlook that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, as the company’s insurance unit continues to grapple with higher medical costs. The company anticipates it will […]

Read More