SA scoops big discount for new multidrug-resistant TB medicine
South Africa has garnered a significant discount for the first new drug in 60 years to treat multidrug-resistant TB.
The cost has been reduced from R10 000 to R5 400 for a treatment course.
The drug bedaquiline‚ made by Janssen‚ a division of Johnson & Johnson‚ was a major breakthrough because it replaced a painful injectable multidrug-resistant TB medication that causes deafness in up to 60% of patients.
This meant patients would have months of extremely painful injections to only possibly be cured of deadly TB only to quite likely end up deaf.
South Africa has some of highest numbers of multidrugresistant TB cases in the world, with more than 15 000 people who get this deadly disease annually.
These patients cannot take ordinary TB medicines as they won’t work.
In South Africa‚ MDR TB has a very low cure rate of less than 40% of treated patients, and as long as people remain infectious‚ the deadly disease spreads further.
Last week‚ NGO Section 27 asked for the price of bedaquiline‚ also called Sirturo‚ to be dropped to enable access for more patients.
The drug must be taken with two other antibiotics.
Bedaquiline also has more treatment success than the injectable drug it replaces‚ according to a new trial based on South African data.
The drug was introduced in South Africa in 2012 before trials were completed‚ to enable people who would otherwise have died to benefit in what is termed a “compassionate use” programme. This programme provided data for the drug and showed it was safe.
The drug is now registered for use by all MDR TB patients.
Johnson & Johnson’s Paul Stoffel said: “We are proud to stand alongside the government of South Africa and announce a major commitment in support of their recent decision to provide a bedaquiline-containing‚ injection-free regimen for all eligible MDR TB patients.
He said the price drop carried on the commitment of the company’s founder to end TB.
“Today’s commitment will enable us to continue leveraging our science and capabilities to deliver on Dr Paul Janssen’s mission to end TB and change the trajectory of health for millions.”