Rabies Biologics
Please consult with local or state health officials for recommendations on potential rabies exposure scenarios for assistance with risk assessments and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) recommendations.
Visit the ACIP for additional information on current rabies vaccine recommendation.
Rabies Biologics Currently Available—United States, 2018 1
| Biologic | Product name/ Manufacturer | Potency |
|---|---|---|
| Human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV)*,†,‡ | Imovaxexternal icon®/ Sanofi Pasteur | > 2.5 international units (IU) of rabies antigen |
| Purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCECV)*,†,‡ | RabAvertexternal icon®/ GlaxoSmithKline | >2.5 IU of rabies antigen |
* Dose: Single dose vial of vaccine should be reconstituted with accompanying sterile diluent to final volume of 1mL before administration.
† Administration Route: Intramuscular in the deltoid area for adults, in the deltoid area or the anterolateral aspect of the thigh for children. Do NOT use the gluteal area for HDCV or PCECV.
‡ Indications: Pre-exposure2 AND post-exposure prophylaxis.
| Biologic | Product name/ Manufacturer | Potency | Dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human immunoglobulin*,† | Imogam®Rabies-HTexternal icon / Sanofi Pasteur | 150 IU/mL | 20 IU/kg |
| Human immunoglobulin*,† | KEDRABexternal icon™3 / Kedrion Biopharma and Kamada Ltd | 150 IU/mL | 20 IU/kg |
| Human immunoglobulin*,† | HyperRab™S/Dexternal icon / Grifols3 | 150 IU/mL | 20 IU/kg |
| Human immunoglobulin*,† | HyperRab®external icon3,4 / Grifols3 | 300 IU/mL4 | 20 IU/kg4 |
* Administration Route: Local infiltration around wound, with remaining immunoglobulin administered intramuscularly in an anatomical site distant from where vaccine was placed.
† Indications: Post-exposure prophylaxis with human rabies immunoglobulins is indicated for ONLY those persons who 1) did not receive appropriate pre-exposure prophylaxis2 and 2) have not previously received post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies in accordance with ACIP recommendations.
1 Rabies biologics marketed in other countries are not included here.
2 Pre-exposure prophylaxis is indicated for specific populations who are at increased risk for rabies exposure such as veterinarians and rabies research laboratory workers.
3 Licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after development of the 2010 ACIP Rabies Guidelines.
4 Note HyperRab® immunoglobulin product has a different concentration compared to all other rabies immunoglobulins (including the very similarly named HyperRab™S/D) – requiring lower volumes to administer the recommended dose of 20 IU/kg ; care should be taken to ensure the correct dose of immunoglobulin is administered to ensure adequate immune response.
