Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an infectious disease that can cause severe illness in young children as well as the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Globally, an estimated 33 million young children are diagnosed with RSV every year, and over 3 million are hospitalised. Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment for RSV, although a number of products are in clinical trials or earlier stages of clinical development.

The aim of PROMISE is to significantly advance our understanding of RSV to aid in the design of public health strategies as well as the development and use of vaccines and therapeutics in both children and older people. It builds on the work of IMI’s RESCEU project, which has delivered significant insights and resources on RSV.

The project plans to address current knowledge gaps on RSV, such as the relationship between RSV infection and school age wheeze and asthma. They will also identify new diagnostic tools and study biological markers of RSV infection. In addition, the project will develop a surveillance network on RSV, a resource that will provide valuable information on respiratory infections in the community. Finally, PROMISE will attempt to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the spread of RSV, especially among older adults.