Related Experiment Videos
Optimum dosage regimen of palivizumab?
Hans L Zaaijer1, C M J E Vandenbroucke-Grauls, E J F Franssen
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VUMC University Hospital, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. hans.zaaijer@vumc.nl
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
|May 22, 2002
Abstract:
Palivizumab is a humanized, monoclonal antibody used to protect at-risk infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The regular dosage scheme causes a low initial trough level and accumulation of the antibody after subsequent injections. Using a simple pharmacokinetic model, the authors devised an alternative dosage regimen that might correct these problems while cutting costs by 35%. To spare health care budgets, dosage schemes for future monoclonal antibodies must be chosen carefully.