China approves AstraZeneca, Sanofi shot to prevent RSV infection

China approves AstraZeneca, Sanofi shot to prevent RSV infection

China approved a shot co-developed by AstraZeneca Plc and Sanofi to ward off respiratory syncytial virus in a broad swath of infants, a first in the nation to thwart the highly contagious and potentially fatal infection.

The National Medical Products Administration cleared the long-acting monoclonal antibody Beyfortus to prevent RSV infections in newborns, Astra said in a statement on Tuesday. While RSV has been circulating in China for months, the shot isn’t expected to be available until the upcoming 2024-2025 season, the company said.

RSV causes inflammation of the airways that can lead to difficulty breathing and death in rare cases. Beyfortus is among the first medicines available for widespread use to protect infants from the illness, which affects most children by the age of two.

China has confronted an outsized outbreak of respiratory diseases since the second half of 2023, with children particularly hard hit by a barrage of common pathogens including RSV, flu and mycoplasma pneumoniae. The surge in disease has stretched some pediatric medical centers across the country beyond capacity.