CMV-Hyperimmunoglobulin (CMVIG) is a plasma-derived polyclonal immunoglobulin preparation containing large amounts of antibodies directed against human cytomegalovirus (CMV).
While infection with CMV is usually unproblematic in healthy individuals, women who become infected with CMV for the first time during pregnancy have a ~30-40% risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus. Infection of the unborn child, particularly in the first few weeks of pregnancy, can lead to neurological damage such as hearing loss and developmental problems. Currently, there is no medicine authorised for prevention of maternal-foetal CMV transmission, despite Cytomegaly being the most common infectious disease transmitted from pregnant women to the unborn child and may lead to permanent damage of the child.
Biotest is developing CMVIG for the treatment of pregnant women with CMV primary infection in order to prevent transmission of the virus to the unborn child.