Palivizumab

  • CAS Number: 188039-54-5

Palivizumab is a monoclonal antibody, which is used for disease prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV ) infection in children. Palivizumab is not suitable for treatment of pre-existing RSV infection. Treatments of adults are not displayed.

Operation

Palivizumab acts as a passive immunization. The antibody binds to the all RSV isolates A highly conserved epitope of the fusion protein ( F protein ) of respiratory syncytial virus, and thereby prevents the entry of the virus into the cell and thus the infection. The F protein of respiratory syncytial virus is a glycoprotein on the surface of the virus that is necessary for the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. This fusion is an important step in the entry of the virus into the cell. The antibody is effective against RSV subtypes A and B.

Areas of application

Palivizumab is approved for use in children at high risk for RSV disease for prevention of RSV caused by the serious diseases of the lower respiratory tract:

  • In children who were born before the 36th week of pregnancy and are younger at the start of the RSV season than 6 months.
  • In children under 2 years of age who were treated within the last 6 months for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
  • In children under 2 years of age with congenital heart defects.

Due to the very high cost of palivizumab immunization is recommended primarily for premature infants after bronchopulmonary dysplasia in Germany; in other cases, an individual decision is advised. The number needed to treat ( number needed to treat ) for immunization with palivizumab is 17 So many children need to be treated statistically, in order to avoid a hospital admission by RSV infection.

Palivizumab is administered in a dose of 15 mg per kilogram of body weight by intramuscular injection. Based on the half -life of the antibody of approximately 18 to 20 days of immune protection during the RSV season ( in Central Europe November to April) must be renewed monthly.

Contraindications and side effects

Palivizumab should not be used in case of hypersensitivity to palivizumab or other humanized antibodies. The most common side effects are diarrhea, fever, swelling and redness at the injection site and nervousness. Allergic reactions have been observed, but cases of anaphylaxis are very rare (less than 1/ 10000). The rarely observed formation of antibodies to palivizumab appears clinically to have no relevance.

Production

Palivizumab is a humanised antibody IgG1. The antibody is genetically engineered in the stable mouse myeloma cell line NS0. By genetic engineering Production at palivizumab in contrast to traditionally produced immune sera no danger that improper production pathogens such as HIV be transmitted. Palivizumab was developed by the U.S. biotechnology company MedImmune. For the European market the antibody from Boehringer Ingelheim is produced and marketed by Abbott under the name Synagis.

CAS registry number Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System DrugBank Abbott Laboratories Medical guideline
630695
de