‘It’s a game-changer’: New drug to protect babies from RSV approved
Global News
Health Canada has approved a new antibody drug to help protect babies from serious illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Health Canada has approved a new antibody drug to help protect babies from serious illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Nirsevimab, also known by its brand name Beyfortus, was authorized on April 19. It was developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi.
Nirsevimab is “a monoclonal antibody to prevent serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in newborns and infants during their first RSV season,” Health Canada spokesman Mark Johnson said in an email to The Canadian Press on Friday.
The drug, which is given by injection, is also authorized for children up to two years of age if they are at risk of serious infection, he said.
Monoclonal antibodies are made in a laboratory to mimic natural antibodies to prevent or treat diseases.
Nirsevimab attaches to a protein on the surface of the virus and hinders its ability to enter the body’s cells, especially those in the lungs, according to the European Medicines Agency, a regulatory body that last fall approved the drug for use in the European Union.
Canada already offers the monoclonal antibody palivizumab — also known by the brand name Synagis — to premature babies because they are more vulnerable to serious illness from RSV. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) does not recommend palivizumab for healthy babies.
Palivizumab has to be injected about once a month — up to four times — during RSV season to remain effective. Nirsevimab requires only one dose that lasts the entire RSV season.
A decision on the future of coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains is expected within 90 days after a public hearing into the project wrapped up Thursday.
After a long spell of warm, dry weather, an Arctic cold front is forecast to descend over Alberta this weekend — sending temperatures plunging by up to 40 degrees.
While sitting down to watch your favourite television show may seem like a relaxing way to unwind, it also could fuel your appetite, leading to binge eating.
U.S. regulators on Wednesday banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.
A group of global experts is proposing a new way to define and diagnose obesity, reducing the emphasis on the controversial body mass index.
Dave and Barb Enns were killed when a landslide swept over their home in Lions Bay on Dec. 14, 2024.
Tina Bitangcol is a labour and delivery nurse and mom of four who shares her personal and professional knowledge with the 1.5 million followers of her 'Mama Nurse Tina' persona.
Some of the 'TikTok refugees,' as they call themselves, say the TikTok alternative, a Chinese app, is being chosen in protest of the TikTok ban.
Some protein powders, particularly plant-based and chocolate-flavoured varieties, have been found to contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium, according to a recent report.
For four grueling hours, a Winnipeg firefighter, his partner and a friend battled the blaze and choking smoke near Pasadena — even climbing on a roof to hose down a burning house.
Firefighters spent the weekend blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area.
A California man whose two cats died after drinking raw milk recalled for bird flu risk says he meant to keep his beloved pets healthy, but his efforts tragically backfired.
As interest in more environmentally-friendly burial options grows, one Ontario company is trying to help cemeteries across the county offer affordable and greener alternatives.
An Ontario public health official says they've detected norovirus among a group of 190 people reporting symptoms of gastroenteritis at the University of Guelph over the last week.
Scientists think that the winter surge of flu and cold activity may be because we spend more time indoors and the cold, dry air may weaken our defenses.
David and Barbara Enss were killed on Dec. 14, 2024, when their home was destroyed by a landslide that spilled across the Sea to Sky Highway and into Howe Sound.
In addition to provinces and territories having to buy COVID-19 vaccines going forward, they will also be responsible for determining the timing of vaccinations.
As wildfires rage across Los Angeles, the smoke billowing into the air carries more than the expected risks of particulate matter and carbon emissions.