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. 2024 Jan 1;64(4):E377-E381.
doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2023.64.4.3070. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Direct long-acting antibodies: updating the language of RSV prevention to reflect the evolution of mAbs

Pier Luigi Lopalco  1 , Susanna Esposito  2 , Federico Martinón-Torres  3 ; JACQUI THORNTON COMMUNICATIONS LTD; Giovanni Checcucci Lisi  4 , Kocfa Chung-Delgado  4 , Brad Davidson  5 , Stephanie Evans  6 , Amit Patel  6 , Claire Fellingham  6 , Ben Pounds  6 , Charlotte Harris  6 , Tapas Mukherjee  6
Affiliations

Direct long-acting antibodies: updating the language of RSV prevention to reflect the evolution of mAbs

Pier Luigi Lopalco et al. J Prev Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Introduction: The language of medicine is constantly evolving, typically to better describe a new understanding of disease, adjust to changing social sensibilities, or simply to reflect a new drug class or category. We address the need for an updated language around monoclonal antibodies, or "mAbs" - a widely used medical term, but one which is now too general to accurately reflect the range of mAb pharmaceuticals, their effects, and the intended patients.

Methods: The question of "what should we call a monoclonal antibody immunisation against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to ensure accurate understanding of the product?" was the basis for a virtual advisory panel in May 2022. The panel was convened by Sanofi with the intention of reviewing appropriate language in terminology in the context of mAb-based prophylaxis for RSV. The panel comprised several global experts on RSV and vaccination, a trained linguist specialising in doctor-patient interactions and medical language, and several experts in marketing and communications.

Results: We suggest the term "Direct Long-acting Antibody" (DLA) for a specific sub-class of mAbs for use in prevention of RSV disease in infants. This terminology should differentiate from other mAbs, which are generally not used as therapies in infants.

Discussion and conclusions: This change will more accurately convey the specific mode of action of a mAb in infants, and how it could impact the prevention of communicable diseases: this class of mAbs is not an active treatment, but rather will offer direct and rapid protection lasting at least 5 months.

Keywords: Immunisation; Prevention; RSV; Vaccination; mAb.

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Conflict of interest statement

Pier Luigi Lopalco: Advisory Board Participation & Honoraria for Lectures and other Training activities from GSK, Moderna, MSD, Pfizer, Sanofi, Seqirus. Susanna Esposito: Advisory Board Participation & Honoraria for Lectures. GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna, MSD, Qiagen, Sanofi, Genzyme, Janssen. Federico Martinón-Torres Received honoraria from GSK group of companies, Pfizer Inc, Sanofi Pasteur, MSD, Seqirus, Biofabri and Janssen for taking part in advisory boards and expert meetings and for acting as a speaker in congresses outside the scope of the submitted work. FM-T has also acted as principal investigator in randomised controlled trials of the above-mentioned companies as well as Ablynx, Gilead, Regeneron, Roche, Abbott, Novavax, and MedImmune, with honoraria paid to his institution. Jacqui Thornton Communications Ltd. Received honoraria from Sanofi, Ipsen, Angelini Pharma, PTC Therapeutics, AbbVie and Indivior for moderating events and training work. Todd Wolynn Received honoraria from Merck, Sanofi Pasteur, Mordera, Novavax, Seqirus, Pfizer for speaker events and in a consultant capacity. Giovanni Checcucci Lisi and Kocfa Chung-Delgado are employed by Sanofi and may hold shares and/or stock options in the company, a company that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. Stephanie Evans, Amit Patel, Claire Fellingham, Ben Pounds, Charlotte Harris and Tapas Mukherjee are employees of Havas Lynx Group, which was paid by Sanofi to facilitate the working group session described herein, and contribute to this manuscript. Brad Davidson is an employee of Havas Health & You, and was a paid consultant to Sanofi in connection with developing new language of mAbs and with the development of this manuscript.

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