CDC Recommends New Injectable Drug to Protect Infants from Respiratory Virus: Beyfortus to Fill Critical Need for Vaccine-less Babies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a new injectable drug to protect infants from a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year. The drug, sold under the name Beyfortus, is a shot that acts similarly to a vaccine, but instead of preventing the virus, it helps the immune system fight it off.

The advisory committee to the CDC voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend the drug for two groups of infants. The first group is babies up to 8 months old who are born during or entering their first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season, which typically starts around October. The second is infants between 8 and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season.

The drug, developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi, is expected to be ready in the fall before the RSV season, typically November through March. Newborns born shortly before or during RSV season should get the shot in their first week of life, the committee said.

The drug is expected to fill a critical need as there are currently no vaccines for babies. Beyfortus is a lab-made antibody that helps the immune system fight off the virus. It is the first drug of its kind to be approved by the CDC for the prevention of RSV in infants.

The CDC is urging parents to talk to their pediatrician about the drug and whether their child should receive it. The drug is expected to be available in the fall and will be given as a single shot. It is not yet known how much the drug will cost.