NOVEMBER 9, 2017

FDA Approves Prevymis to Prevent CMV Among Stem Cell Transplant Patients

By Marie Rosenthal, MS

The FDA approved letermovir (Prevymis, Merck) for prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease in adult CMV-seropositive recipients [R+] of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

Letermovir is a member of a new class of nonnucleoside CMV inhibitors (3,4-dihydroquinazolines) and inhibits viral replication by specifically targeting the viral terminase complex. Cross-resistance is not likely with drugs outside of this class. 

The recommended