The Dutch national government has decided to include vaccination against the RS virus in the Vaccination Program. Worldwide, the RS-virus is the second leading cause of death in infants. It was researchers at Amsterdam UMC who discovered the antibody that protects against this life-threatening virus for newborns. The European Commission/EMA issued positive advice for this antibody drug, called Nirsevimab, in 2022. Babies are expected to be able to receive a vaccine as of 2025.
RSV is a common cold virus, of which the symptoms are nose cold and coughing. RSV forms no serious risk to healthy adults but is a risk for (premature) newborns, infants, and children with a congenital heart defect or Down’s syndrome. Every year, 150 to 200 babies with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) end up in the ICU in the Netherlands.
The Health Council (Gezondheidsraad) recommends that all children in their first year of life be offered protection against RSV through the National Vaccination Program in the short term. The council prefers to administer antibodies to children, instead of pregnant women, because more children can be protected this way.
The development of the vaccine is the result of research by immunologist and professor Cell Biology Hergen Spits at Amsterdam UMC. His technology was used by the Amsterdam UMC spin-off AIMM, which was founded with the help of IXA, to develop an antibody to protect against the RS virus. A promising RSV antibody was isolated in 2007 and licensed to MedImmune/Astra Zeneca, which ultimately resulted in the approval of the vaccine called Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) by the EMA at the end of 2022.
What is also striking is that the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport notes that the use of this new vaccination saves €16 million in healthcare costs every year.
Amsterdam researchers have secured Biotech Booster funding for a total of six projects, that include a promising cancer treatment, a new diagnostic method for Alzheimer’s Disease, an implant helping blindness, lab innovation in biotechnology, and a nutritional intervention for mental health. The researchers will develop a solid business case for their innovations in the time […]
NewsPULSE Sport, a start-up from the Demonstrator Lab, has reached a significant milestone by winning the prestigious 14th Dutch Sports Innovation Award. The company’s flagship product, a cutting-edge athlete management system, integrates advanced software and artificial intelligence to revolutionize athlete health and performance monitoring. About the Innovation PULSE Sport’s athlete management system provides a holistic […]
NewsVU-AMS is on a mission to revolutionize how we understand and manage stress-related health issues. Now an official VU spin-off, there are big plans for clinical applications. Founder of VU AMS Martin Gevonden explains: “We offer researchers autonomic biomarkers that are valid, reliable and easy to use, without getting under the skin.” After thriving in […]
News