SK Bioscience Holds Symposium on RSV Preventive Antibody Injection 'Beyfortus'

Raising Awareness of RSV
and Sharing Response Strategies

SK Bioscience announced on August 29 that it held symposiums in major regions across the country for about two months starting from July 8, introducing the newly launched preventive antibody injection 'Beyfortus (active ingredient Nirsevimab)' to approximately 150 primary care physicians.

A symposium scene introducing the newly introduced preventive antibody injection 'Beyfortus (active ingredient Nirsevimab)', conducted by SK Bioscience for about two months since July 8. SK Bioscience

During the symposium, lectures and discussions were held on topics such as the disease burden of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), the clinical evidence for Beyfortus, and vaccination strategies in clinical practice. Lim Geunhee, director of Daegu Jigucheon Pediatric Clinic, commented, "It was a meaningful opportunity to specifically consider RSV prevention strategies in real clinical settings."

RSV is a common respiratory viral disease that infects more than 90% of infants and young children under two years of age. It is a major cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and one of the leading causes of hospitalization among infants and young children. In particular, newborns and infants are at high risk of developing severe lower respiratory tract infections, but since there is no specific treatment for RSV, prevention is considered the best response.

Against this backdrop, the RSV preventive antibody injection 'Beyfortus' received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last year and was introduced in Korea for the first time this year. Beyfortus can be administered to all newborns and infants experiencing their first RSV season, and to high-risk children (under 24 months of age), it can also be given during their second season. A single injection provides preventive effects that last for at least five months throughout the RSV season.

In the Phase 3 clinical trial (MELODY study), infants and young children who received Beyfortus experienced about a 74.5% reduction in the risk of medically attended RSV infections. The safety profile was similar to that of the placebo group. Real-world data from the US CDC and Europe also confirmed that Beyfortus prevented RSV-related hospitalizations at a rate of 80-90%, demonstrating consistent preventive effects globally.

In addition, in May, the Infectious Diseases Committee of the Korean Pediatric Society issued a recommendation for Beyfortus to be administered to all infants entering their first RSV season and to high-risk children. This recommendation marks the official recognition by a group of domestic pediatric infectious disease experts of the need for and clinical value of RSV preventive antibody injections, further strengthening the evidence for their use in actual clinical practice.

Yoo Suan, Head of Domestic Marketing at SK Bioscience, stated, "Beyfortus is an innovative option that presents a new preventive paradigm to protect newborns and infants from RSV," adding, "SK Bioscience will continue to provide essential disease information and preventive solutions to the medical field and fulfill our responsible role in infectious disease prevention."