Highlights
I think what is going to influence it [AstraZeneca/Sanofi’s pricing of nirsevimab] is what we were just talking about; is it going to be covered, or is it not going to be covered, and will it just be covered for highrisk infants, or will it be covered for everyone, and that will impact the market for it. So, yes, I think the average cost for Synagis is around $3,000 if I’m remembering right, and this would have to be priced at a lower rate than that. So, I think that would have to be accounted for… I think it would have to be much cheaper than what Synagis is right now, to be competitive, and obviously if the goal is to cover it for every single child that’s born, it would have to be remarkably less.
I think it’s more attractive to vaccinate the mother, and then at a given period of time depending on what the antibody levels look like, giving the infant a vaccine. If that’s at 2 months, or 4 months, or 6 months, that’s more attractive than using an immunoglobulin in that space. That being said, you may have some kids that aren’t just going to respond to the vaccine, period, or people who are going to fail vaccines, and that’s where I think the immunoglobulins are going to be really helpful. But I don’t think in that area, I would rely on immunoglobulins alone, I would first try to put together a vaccine structure where we thought that we could do the best job we could of always covering the infant during that first year of life, and then use monoclonals or immunoglobulins as the patch if that doesn’t work out well.
Overview
This interview with a US-based key opinion leader (KOL) provides insights into upcoming changes in treatment algorithms, trial data for late-phase pipeline prophylaxis therapies, competitive positioning, and vaccination coverage rates. Pricing and reimbursement, as well as unmet needs, are also discussed. Key pipeline assets highlighted include nirsevimab, RSVpreF, and GSK3844766A.