MedImmune to Present Five Abstracts on RSV at Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- MedImmune, the global biologics unit of AstraZeneca, announced today that researchers will present results from five studies in the areas of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at the 2010 Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting taking place May 1-4, 2010 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  

MedImmune abstracts to be presented at PAS regarding RSV include:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Hospitalization in infants with Chronic Lung Disease (CLD): An eight- year retrospective national hospital survey Groothuis, J., et al; Poster Session:  May 3, 2010 Time: 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM; Exhibit Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre) / Poster Presentation #353

• Recurrent wheezing in the third year of life among children born at 32-weeks gestation: relationship to laboratory-confirmed, medically attended infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during the first year of life, Escobar G., et al; Poster Session:  May 2, 2010 Time:  4:00 PM - 7:30 PM; Exhibit Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre) / Poster Presentation # 562.

• A randomized controlled trial of RSV prophylaxis with motavizumab vs. palivizumab in young children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD).  Feltes, T., et al; Poster Session: May 3, 2010 Time:  4:00 PM - 7:30 PM; Exhibit Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre) / Poster Presentation # 104.

• Characterization of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) from patients who failed immunoprophylaxis with motavizumab. Zhu, Q., et al; Poster Session: May 2, 2010 Time:  4:00 PM - 7:30 PM; Exhibit Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre) / Poster Presentation # 563.

• Population pharmacokinetics analysis of Motavizumab in children at risk for RSV infection. Zhao, L., et al; Poster Session: May 2, 2010 Time:  4:00 PM - 7:30 PM, Exhibit Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre) / Poster Presentation # 570

About RSV

RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants in the United States. It is the most common respiratory infection in infancy or childhood and is associated with both an inpatient and outpatient burden of disease.  Each year RSV hospitalizes up to 125,000 infants in the U.S. with severe RSV infections; it results in an estimated 236,000 hospital outpatient visits; 400,000 emergency room visits and 1.7 million visits to physicians' offices. Approximately one half of all infants are infected with RSV during the first year of life, while nearly all children are infected at least once by the time they reach their second birthday. Children born prematurely as well as those with chronic lung disease (CLD) or congenital heart disease (CHD) are at highest risk for severe disease and hospitalization due to RSV.

About Motavizumab

Motavizumab is an investigational humanized MAb being evaluated for its potential to prevent serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in pediatric patients at high risk of RSV disease.  It is currently under review at the U.S. FDA.

About Palivizumab

Palivizumab is the only monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA to help prevent an infectious disease. Palivizumab was approved for use in the United States in 1998, Europe in 1999, and Japan in 2002.  Palivizumab is currently available in 62 countries.  

Palivizumab is a prescription medication that is used to help prevent a serious lung disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants and children at high risk. Palivizumab is given as a shot, usually in the thigh muscle, each month during the RSV season. Children who develop an RSV infection while receiving palivizumab should continue the monthly dosing schedule throughout the season.

Palivizumab should not be used in patients with a history of a severe allergic reaction to palivizumab or its ingredients. Cases of severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis and other types of hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with palivizumab. These reactions may occur when any dose of palivizumab is given, not just the first one. Very low platelet counts may occur, which may lead to unusual bruising and/or groups of pinpoint red spots found on the skin.

Common side effects may include fever, cold-like symptoms (upper respiratory infection) including runny nose and ear infection, and rash. Other possible side effects include skin reactions around the area where the shot was given (like redness, swelling, warmth or discomfort). In children born with certain types of heart disease, other possible side effects include bluish color of the skin, lips or under fingernails and abnormal heart rhythms. These are not all the possible side effects of palivizumab.

Please see full prescribing information for palivizumab at the company's website: http://www.medimmune.com/about_us_products.aspx. Additional information about the 2010 PAS annual meeting can be found at http://www.pas-meeting.org/2010Vancouver/default.asp

About MedImmune

MedImmune, the worldwide biologics business for AstraZeneca PLC (LSE: AZN.L, NYSE: AZN), has approximately 3,300 employees worldwide and is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland. With an advancing pipeline of promising drug candidates, MedImmune strives to deliver life-changing products, a rewarding career to our employees and a tireless commitment to improving patient health. For more information, visit MedImmune's website at www.medimmune.com.

SOURCE MedImmune