Pediatric Pearls. 8 Facts about Nirsevimab

December 5, 2023

I recently completed several days working on our Mother Baby Unit in Boston MA, USA. I work on the “well” baby side, not the NICU. We now have nirsevimab to offer to new parents for their newborn. Supply is somewhat limited so for now it is available to infants who are born:

• SGA (small for gestational age)

• Premature (less than 37 weeks)

#1 What is nirsevimab?

Nirsevimab is a monoclonal antibody product that offers protection again the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The generic name is nirsevimab; the brand name Beyfortus.

#2 What does monoclonal antibody mean?

The word “monoclonal” refers to the fact that the antibodies created in the laboratory are clones meaning they are exact copies of one antibody. They bind to one antigen only. The generic names of the products often include the letters “mab” at the end of the name, like nirsevimab.