Drug Detail:Palivizumab (Palivizumab [ pal-i-viz-oo-mab ])
Drug Class: Immune globulins
Usual Pediatric Dose for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Pediatric patients 24 months of age or less:
15 mg/kg IM once a month during RSV season (the first dose should be administered prior to commencement of the RSV season and the remaining doses should be administered monthly throughout the RSV season)
Comments:
- Children who develop an RSV infection should continue to receive monthly doses throughout the RSV season.
- In the northern hemisphere, the RSV season typically commences in November and lasts through April, but it may begin earlier or persist later in certain communities.
- Serum levels of this drug are decreased after cardiopulmonary bypass. Children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass should receive an additional dose as soon as possible after the cardiopulmonary bypass procedure (even if sooner than a month from the previous dose). Thereafter, doses should be administered monthly as scheduled.
Use: For the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children at high risk of RSV disease. The following points should be considered when prescribing this drug:
- Safety and efficacy were established in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), infants with a history of premature birth (less than or equal to 35 weeks gestational age), and children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD).
- Safety and efficacy have not been established for treatment of RSV disease.
Renal Dose Adjustments
Data not available
Liver Dose Adjustments
Data not available
Precautions
Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients older than 24 months of age at the start of dosing.
Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.
Dialysis
Data not available
Other Comments
Administration advice:
- This drug should only be given by IM injection.
- The preferred injection site is the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. The gluteus muscle should not be used routinely as an injection site to prevent the risk of damage to the sciatic nerve.
- Injection volumes over 1 mL should be given as divided doses.
General:
- The single-dose vial of palivizumab therapy does not contain a preservative. The drug should be administered immediately after dose withdrawal from the vial.
- Vial should not be reentered.
- Discard any unused drug.
Reconstitution/Preparation:
- Consult the manufacturer product information.
