SISUNATOVIR,A PROMISING DRUG TO TREAT SEVERE RSV INFECTIONS INCLUDING BRONCHIOLITIS,Dr.D.K.JHA,M.D.,Pediatric Pulmonologist,Delhi,India
Thursday, August 13th, 2020
RSV(Respiratory syncytial virus) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in children.
Bronchiolitis is usually mild but in infants between 3-6 months,it may become serious and sometimes life threatening.
It usually becomes serious in preterm infants and infants already having cardiac disease with significant shunt,infants having CLD(Chronic lung disease,previously known as BPD) and infants with primary immune deficiency.
There is no specific treatment other than Rivaverin which may or may not work.
So, the mainstay of treatment is only supportive and it has high morbidity and mortality.
In such situations,a new drug Sisunatovir may be life saving for many infants.
In a research ,66 adults were inoculated with RSV,then they were given treatment with this new drug Sisunatovir.It resulted in significant reduction in clinical symptoms with significant reduction in viral load,with no significant adverse effects.The new drug was well tolerated and there was no resistane to this new drug.It was Phase 2a study.
Sisunatovir binds to the surface protein F, of RSV and inhibits its replication.It is a fusion inhibitor which is administered orally.
REFERENCES:ReViral announces FDA Fast Track designation granted to sisunatovir for the treatment of serious respiratory syncytial virus infection. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200804005065/en/ReViral-Announces-FDA-Fast-Track-Designation-Granted. Accessed August 4, 2020