Dr Reddy’s expands partnership with Sanofi to launch Beyfortus for RSV prevention in India

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, a global pharmaceutical company, has announced the expansion of its partnership with Sanofi Healthcare India (SHIPL) to introduce Beyfortus (nirsevimab) in India. The development coincides with World Immunisation Week.

Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody delivered via prefilled injection. It is used for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in newborns and infants during or entering their first RSV season. It is also administered to children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease during their second RSV season.

As part of the arrangement, Dr Reddy’s will receive exclusive rights from SHIPL to promote and distribute Beyfortus in India. This follows the company’s earlier agreement with Sanofi to distribute its vaccine portfolio in India. Dr Reddy’s expects to launch Beyfortus in India in the second quarter of the current financial year.

RSV is a contagious virus that causes respiratory infections in infants. Two out of three infants are infected during their first year, and almost all children contract the virus by their second birthday. RSV is the most common cause of LRTD such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants, and is a major cause of hospitalisation globally. Most hospitalisations occur in healthy, full-term infants. In 2019, there were approximately 33 million cases of acute lower respiratory infections worldwide, resulting in over 3 million hospitalisations and an estimated 26,300 in-hospital deaths of children under five years.

Nitya Padmanabhan, Head of Sanofi Vaccines (India), said, “Bringing Beyfortus to India is a pivotal step in our mission to protect every child from immunisation preventable diseases like RSV. In India, where the disease burden is significant and early protection is critical, this collaboration with Dr Reddy’s enables us to reach parents and healthcare providers with an innovative solution. Together, we are advancing equitable access to immunisation and improving preventive care for numerous children in India.”

M.V. Ramana, Chief Executive Officer, Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), Dr Reddy’s, said, “We are happy to extend our partnership with Sanofi in India – this time for a novel drug to address the RSV burden among newborns and infants in India. This partnership highlights our continued efforts to become the ‘partner of choice’ in bringing novel, innovative and trusted drugs to patients. Beyfortus enables the access of healthcare professionals and parents to an improved drug in the prevention of RSV. Additionally, the launch of Beyfortus will help us strengthen our immunisation portfolio in India.”

Beyfortus has received marketing authorisation approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in India in June last year. The drug is already approved for use in the European Union, the United States, China, Japan, and several other countries.