Prevymis

Prevymis is an antiviral medicine used to prevent illness caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in adults and children who have received an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) or a kidney transplant. For HSCT, Prevymis is used in children who weigh at least 5 kg; for kidney transplants, it is used in children who weigh at least 40 kg. Allogeneic HSCT involves using stem cells from a donor to replace the recipient’s bone marrow cells to form new bone marrow that produces healthy blood cells. The medicine is used when the HSCT recipient is seropositive (has previously had a CMV infection). In patients receiving a kidney transplant, the medicine is used when the donor is seropositive. Following CMV infection many people still have CMV in their body, but it is usually inactive and does not cause harm. However, CMV can become active when the immune system (the body’s natural defences) is weakened, such as when having a transplant. CMV disease is rare, and Prevymis was designated an ‘orphan medicine’ (a medicine used in rare diseases) on 15 April 2011\. Further information on the orphan designation can be found here: [ema.europa.eu/medicines/human/orphan\-designations/eu311849](https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/orphan-designations/eu311849). Prevymis contains the active substance letermovir.