Vall d’Hebron has been awarded the first prize of the 2025 Mutual Médica Grant for the project led by Anna Creus, Associate at the Pediatric Infectious Disease and Immunodeficiencies Unit of Vall d’Hebron and researcher at the Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients group of Vall d’Hebron Research Institute. The project focuses on studying variants of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) following the introduction of nirsevimab in the pediatric population. The award, valued at €25,000, is part of the Impulsar(me) program of the Mutual Médica Foundation, which promotes research with direct clinical application among medical residents and young specialists.

The project, entitled Respiratory syncytial virus variants with mutations associated with reduced neutralization by monoclonal antibodies: clinical and virological surveillance following the implementation of nirsevimab in pediatric age, is supervised by Dr. Pere Soler Palacín, Head of the Pediatric Infectious Disease and Immunodeficiencies Unit at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and leader of the Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients research group at VHIR. The study will be carried out in collaboration with the Respiratory Virus Unit of Vall d’Hebron Microbiology, together with Dr. Andres Antón Pagarolas, Head of the Respiratory Virus Unit of the Microbiology Service and principal investigator of the VHIR microbiology group.

In addition to Vall d’Hebron, participating hospitals include Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital, Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona, Joan XXIII Hospital of Tarragona, Verge de la Cinta Hospital of Tortosa, and Arnau de Vilanova Hospital of Lleida.

The main aim of the project is to genetically characterize RSV detected in children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections, determine their genetic lineages, and identify escape mutations that could reduce the efficacy of nirsevimab. The study also aims to correlate these variants with demographic and clinical severity data to better understand the real impact of the drug and anticipate potential challenges in its long-term effectiveness.

The XXXV Mutual Médica Research Awards 2025 received a total of 392 applications, distributed among the three awards granted by the Mutual Médica Foundation. On the occasion of its tenth anniversary, the Foundation reinforced its commitment to medical research, increasing the total prize fund to €80,000 through the Impulsar(me) program.

The jury, composed of members of the Mutual Médica Foundation Board and other distinguished professionals, presented the awards at a gala held in Barcelona at the Casal del Metge on November 27, 2025. The event featured a keynote by Jordi Bañeras Rius, cardiologist and coordinator of the Advanced Clinical Simulation Center at Vall d’Hebron Hospital.

With this recognition, Vall d’Hebron reaffirms its commitment to translational research, inter-hospital collaboration, and improving child health through the monitoring and study of clinically significant respiratory viruses.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is responsible for 75% of bronchiolitis cases. It has always been a major problem in children, especially the youngest ones. It accounts for a very large number of hospital visits and several admissions, including stays in the intensive care unit. Currently, they are in their third season using nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody that prevents infection in infants. Since this treatment became available in our country, things have changed significantly.

The aim of the project, together with the Respiratory Virus Unit of the Microbiology Department at Vall d’Hebron, is not only to detect the virus but also to perform its genetic characterization. The goal is to identify the different circulating lineages and determine whether there are variants that could be resistant to this monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab.