Doveprella, the first new tuberculosis drug in 50 years,

is about to apply for insurance benefits

The NHIS, drug price negotiation is finally concluded

Expect new treatment options

Doveprella, a new tuberculosis drug that appeared 50 years, is expected to be listed on the insurance benefit list.

 

According to related industries, Viatris' multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment Doveprella recently concluded a drug price negotiation with the NHIS.

 

After passing the HIRA's Drug Benefit Evaluation Committee in September, the negotiation process began as soon as possible, drawing positive results.

 

As a result, if only the Health Insurance Policy Review Committee passes, the benefit will be applied without any major problems.

 

Doveprella, which was approved domestically in October last year after U.S.

 

approval in September 2019, can be used as a combination of Bedaquiline and Linezolid in adult patients with extensive drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis, treatment intolerance, or non-reactive multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis.

 

This drug is the first new treatment in more than 50 years.

 

The tuberculosis treatment market has been shunned by front-line pharmaceutical companies for its poor drug economy.

 

In fact, Doveprella is a drug created through a collaboration between Viatris and a non-profit organization called TB Alliance.

 

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is tuberculosis that is resistant to two or more tuberculosis treatments, including Isoniazid and Rifampin, which are the two most effective anti-tuberculosis drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis.

 

The causes of the outbreak are divided into primary and acquired resistance, which is infected with tuberculosis bacteria, which are resistant from the beginning, and acquired resistance during the treatment process due to discontinuation of drug use and irregular administration.

 

MDR-TB has only a 50% treatment success rate, so treatment efficiency is low and secondary drugs used for treatment have more side effects than primary drugs.

 

The treatment period is also long, ranging from 18 to 24 months, so the cost is high, and in some cases, the lesion should be removed through surgery.

 

The combined treatment of seven drugs, including Bdq, which is currently used for standard treatment of MDR-TB, is not well used in Korea due to high drug resistance, and the treatment period is still long at 9-12 months, making it difficult for patients to manage medication and high treatment failure rates.

 

Doveprella proved its validity through a phase 3 clinical Nix-TB study.

 

Doveprella confirmed its potential as a new short-term combination therapy, with a successful treatment effect of 92% in MDR-TB patients and 89% in a broad range of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients in 6 months with Bedaquiline and Linezolid.

 

The existing treatment period of 18 to 24 months was shortened to 6 months, and almost all extensive drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis and sputum culture-negative of MDR-TB patients were confirmed within 16 weeks.

 

BPaL therapy was the first ready-to-use combination therapy consisting only of oral agents and showed complete data in about 90% of patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis at 6 months of treatment.