Prevymis

Prevymis is an antiviral medicine used to prevent illness caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in adults having an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant. Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation 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. Many people have CMV in their body but it is usually inactive and it does not cause harm. However, CMV can become active in patients whose immune system (the body’s natural defences) is weakened such as those having stem cell transplants. CMV disease is rare, and Prevymis was designated an ‘orphan medicine’ (a medicine used in rare diseases) on 15 April 2011.