Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Each year RSV causes an estimated 3.2 million hospital admissions and 118,200 deaths in children under five years of age, predominantly in low and middle income countries. 

It is the single most common cause of respiratory hospitalisation in infants resulting in hospitalisation of 4% of infected children. Additionally, research has also indicated that the true number of cases of RSV infection is likely to be 30 to 50% higher than the current data suggests.

While the burden of infection is greatest in the young, RSV is clinically significant for all age groups, as re-infection can occur throughout life. The elderly and immunocompromised are particularly vulnerable to the risk of severe infection with intensive care admission and mortality rates similar to that of influenza. 

RSV is a seasonal virus with infection rates typically higher during the cold winter months. RSV causes seasonal epidemics in both tropical and temperate regions of the world. 

With limited treatment options, the development of an antiviral agent to treat RSV represents a significant unmet need. Virex Pharma’s proprietary nanoemulsion formulation presents a potential breakthrough treatment for a growing health crisis.