Merck Announces Topline Results from Phase 2b/3 Trial of Clesrovimab (MK-1654), an Investigational Respiratory Syncytial Virus Preventative Monoclonal Antibody for Infants
Clesrovimab met all primary safety and efficacy endpoints
“RSV is highly contagious and can cause inflammation in the airways of infants leading to difficulty breathing. As a widespread illness globally, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization for healthy infants,” said Dr. Paula Annunziato, senior vice president, infectious diseases and vaccines, Global Clinical Development, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are encouraged by these findings and look forward to working with regulators to provide a new option to help address the impact of RSV on infants and their families."
About MK-1654-004
MK-1654-004 (NCT04767373) is a Phase 2b/3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of clesrovimab in healthy preterm and full-term infants. Participants were randomized to receive either a single dose of clesrovimab or placebo. The primary endpoints include the incidence of participants with RSV-associated medically attended lower respiratory infection (MALRI) from Day 1 (post dose) to Day 150 as compared to placebo and safety. Safety measures assessed included the percentage of participants with any injection-related adverse events (AEs), AEs of special interest (AESIs) solicited systemic AEs, or serious adverse events (SAEs).
About Clesrovimab (MK-1654)
Clesrovimab (MK-1654) is an investigational extended half-life monoclonal antibody (mAb) developed as a passive immunization for the prevention of RSV-associated medically attended lower respiratory infection (MALRI). Clesrovimab is being studied in infants (pre-term and full-term) to provide rapid, durable protection through their first RSV season with a single, fixed-dose administration.
About RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a contagious virus that causes widespread seasonal infection with a worldwide burden in infants and older adults. There is high unmet need for preventative options in both healthy and high-risk infants. Globally, it is the leading cause of hospitalization for healthy infants under a year old. RSV can lead to serious respiratory conditions like bronchiolitis and pneumonia, causing an estimated 101,000 deaths a year worldwide in children under five.
About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of
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