Cipla Receives WHO Nod to Launch Novel Combination Drug Globally
A global pharmaceutical company, Cipla, has now received approval from WHO for Q-TIB, a combination drug to help prevent tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV.
Most people think of tuberculosis, often called TB, as a serious disease that affects the lungs. That’s true, but it can also affect other parts of your body, including your brain and spine. It’s not a problem for most people with healthy immune systems: You can have TB germs in your body and not get sick yourself or spread the disease to others.
But it’s different for someone who is HIV-positive. When your immune system is weak, TB germs can multiply and cause symptoms. Someone infected with both HIV and TB is at least 10 times more likely to develop active TB, especially when their CD4 count is under 200. Regardless of your CD4 count, having both infections also means you have AIDS, the advanced stage of HIV.
Worldwide, TB is a leading cause of death for people with HIV.
Q-TIB is a novel fixed dose combination in a single tablet. This is the first time that such a combination has been made available
in the world.Q-TIB will help prevent tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV. People living with HIV face a challenged immune system and are prone to opportunistic infections, which constitute the major source of premature deaths among them.
