TB prevention drugs to cost less in new pact
Some multiple-drug resistant TB patients take between 30 and 40 drugs each day for up to two years. But a trial treatment involves five pills taken daily over just six months. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In 2020, more than 1.5 million worldwide people died from TB, while around 10 million people fell ill from the disease. About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with a latent form of TB that causes no symptoms and is not contagious.
- Without treatment, five per cent to ten per cent of those infected will develop active TB, which causes severe illness and can be transmitted from person to person through the air.
The price of tuberculosis (TB) prevention treatments in 138 low-and middle-income countries including Kenya is set to reduce drastically following the announcement of two new pricing agreements.
The drugs prevent latent TB from progressing to active TB or TB disease.
The agreements announced by Unitaid and MedAccess aim to make rifapentine-based TB prevention treatment regimens more widely available and affordable by bringing in a second generic manufacturer of a fixed dose combination of 3HP (a three-month, once-weekly oral treatment), as well as single tablets of rifapentine, which are used in combination with isoniazid 300 mg for 1HP (a one-month, once-daily oral treatment).
In 2020, more than 1.5 million worldwide people died from TB, while around 10 million people fell ill from the disease. About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with a latent form of TB that causes no symptoms and is not contagious. Without treatment, five per cent to ten per cent of those infected will develop active TB, which causes severe illness and can be transmitted from person to person through the air.
TB prevention treatment regimens like 1HP and 3HP lower the risk of progression to TB in people at risk, including children, pregnant women and people living with HIV.
According to Dr Matteo Zignol from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Programme, the world has in recent years come a long way towards improving access, at an affordable cost, to tuberculosis-prevention treatments that are easier to take, but supply has remained a constraint.
“This announcement will help us prevent TB among more people by ensuring that there is enough supply to meet the needs of eligible countries. Ultimately, preventing TB is critical to our ability to finally end this deadly disease,’ said Dr Zignol.
IMPAACT4TB Consortium will also be provided with additional funding from Unitaid—to the tune of Sh2 billion to support the continued introduction of short course, rifapentine-based TB prevention treatment regimens around the globe.
The funding, awarded to the Aurum Institute, will build on the momentum created by the IMPAACT4TB Consortium over the past five years, focusing specifically on evidence required to ensure that children and pregnant women, including those living with HIV, and household contacts have access to the latest TB prevention regimens.
