APRIL 6, 2018

Letermovir Prophylaxis Lowers CMV Risk in HCT Patients

By Bob Kronemyer

The recently approved antiviral drug letermovir (Prevymis, Merck) significantly lowered the risk for clinically significant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection compared with placebo in CMV-seropositive transplant recipients.

In the phase 3, placebo-controlled study, letermovir or placebo was administered orally or intravenously to 565 patients through week 14 after transplantation. The drug was given at a dosage of 480 mg per day, or 240 mg per day in patients who were taking